Rise Of Zionus: An Introduction
by EternalSage
Summary: This is a story of Ragol. Zio was defeated, but his malignant spirit lingers, leading to an entirely new cycle of chaos. A new generation of hunters must take up the challenge of defeating him.
1. Everything Starts Somewhere

Eternal Sage/Magus 84

Rise of Zionus: Introduction, Part 1

It was a time of peace on Ragol. It had been seven years since X Launcher crushed Neifirst's rebellion, and there had been no major incidents of violence since. Many hunters and most of the Pioneer 2 military had been dispatched to begin the exploration and pacification of a recently discovered planet, Vanadile. The few Hunters that were left had less and less to do, and many were enjoying their retirement. As the sun rose over the new settlements on the surface of Ragol, little did inhabitants know that it would be the last peaceful sunrise any of them would ever see.

The sunlight streaming into his room awoke Sye, a small boy of 10. His birthday was two days away, and he couldn't wait. His parents had emigrated on Pioneer 2, and he was born about 9 months after X's defeat of Dark Falz. He was an odd child in many ways, quieter and more introspective than his friends. He dressed and went into his family's living area for the morning meal. He was getting to go with his Dad today to explore some ruins, and had been looking forward to it for months. As he ate breakfast, he thought about all the neat things he would soon see. Meanwhile...

Jonas Sage had just made it to his desk at the Pioneer archives, chugging down a cup of coffee and trying to rid himself of the legacy of his late night. He was the head archivist, and a fairly accomplished archaeologist. Although he didn't like to mention it, he was also a retired Force. As he powered up the view screen on his computer, the "New mail" alert flashed in the corner of the screen. One new message... Sender: Elly Person.

Mail from the lab was usually never a good thing. He resigned himself to having his already bad day completely ruined, and clicked on the message, hoping it wouldn't be yet another unwanted reminder of things in the past...

' Jonas, it's Elly. I'm sure you've heard about the recently discovered ruin on Ragol dubbed the "Temple of Light." We were going to detail a team of scientists to investigate it, but recent scans showed that is crawling with D-Cell monsters. Since unidentified ruins on Ragol have a nasty habit of spawning horribly deadly creatures, we decided to go with a different team for this investigation. Since you are one of the highest ranking hunters on left on Ragol (retired or otherwise), and the only one with archeological experience, you were nominated to investigate. Report to the Hunter's Guild for more information. Have a nice day, Sage. Love... Elly.'

Having proved his intuition right, he left his office to head to the Hunter's Guild... silently cursing Elly the entire way.

As Sye's father came in, the look on his face showed that he had bad news. "I'm sorry Sye, but we can't go see the ruins today. Scans showed that there are monsters inside, and they are getting a team of hunters to go in and clean it out first. It would be too dangerous to go right now."

"But dad, why do we have to wait for the Hunters? You said that there was nothing bad left on Ragol." "Why do you always break your promises!?" With that outburst, the young boy ran outside into the forest. He just wanted to be away from his dad, and to be alone for a while. Little did he know that he was not alone, and he was about to get a much closer look at the ruins...

As Sage walked into the Hunter's Guild, he was surprised to see a short, slender, purple and green- colored Racast behind the counter. "Greetings, Mr. Sage" the Racast announced. "I am Labyrinth." "Are you here about the ruins job?" Sage replied in the affirmative, and was handed a PDA with the mission information on it. He entered in his security code, and the screen began displaying the coordinates of the ruins, and the results of the D-Cell scans.

"How did you know who I was, Labyrinth?" Sage asked, as he continued to scan the data. "I was informed before your arrival, and was told to give you all possible assistance. Ms. Elly seems to think quite highly of you." Hmph... she would, Sage thought. "So, Labyrinth, are you one of the 'highly skilled hunters that are supposed to accompany me?"

"No sir, I am not a combat model. I was originally a prototype military model, but I have been assigned to be a supervisor for the Hunter's Guild. My combat modules were removed, and I was reprogrammed after the defeat of Neifirst."

"Yeah, when there are no more wars, there's usually no need for weapons."

"Precisely, sir." "Do you know how to get in contact with the hunters listed on the mission briefing?" "Or would you like me to summon them?" Labyrinth asked.

" I know how to contact Megatron, but you may need to contact this 'Lucca' for me." "Oh, and... whoah!" Sage broke of his scanning of the data with a loud exclamation.

"Sir, what is the matter?"

"This must be important, if they're actually bringing HIM in on it..." Sage had a look of surprise on his face, puzzling the android." I thought he retired after the whole Neifirst thing."

" 'He' who, sir? Are you referring to the hunter known as X? He is being brought out of retirement for this mission. The Principal feels it is important to make sure that everything in the ruins is 'taken care' of. "

Sage's only reply is a look of amazement. "Ok, Lab... you contact X and Lucca, and I'll go see where Megs is hiding. I'll be back in about ten minutes..." With that, Sage turned and strolled out of the Hunter's Guild, leaving Labyrinth to the task of contacting the few remaining hunters.

In the forests of Ragol, Sye was awakening as if from a dream The last thing he remembered was running away from his kitchen table after a fight with his father. The next thing he knew, he was standing in this clearing... looking at the vine-covered entrance to what looked like an old temple. It was the ruin his father had told him about, but he had no clue where he was. 'Oh well,' he thought. 'Since I'm here, I might as well look around.' There didn't seem to be any guards, or anything. He slowly approached the darkened entrance of the temple, looking in wonderment at the mural carved on the pillars supporting the ceiling. As he came to the massive doorway, his head began to hurt. Right before he passed out, he read the words carved above the door: "Here lies the path to the Great Light. In times of peril, the Espers will appear to save us all." He then blacked out again. Any outside observer would have seen an eerie glow begin to emanate from his eyes as he stood and strode confidently into the temple. To Sye, however, he was having the same dream he had been having off and on for the past few nights. A dark man in mage-style robes was chasing him, looking for something. Each night, the man got a bit closer, but was stopped short every time. This time though, it looked like the man would catch him.

Sage had returned to his apartment to retrieve some gear from his hunting days, then used a nearby communicator to contact his friend Dante, a retired hunter and the creator of Megatron. Megatron was a highly advanced combat droid, programmed with free will and the combat skills of a veteran hunter. He was currently residing at Dante's house, since the recent peace had left him without much to do.

Sage: "Hey Dante, it's Sage. How are you?"

Dante: "I'm fine, bro. You wanting to talk to Megatron?"

Sage: "Well, yeah. He's supposed to go with me to explore some ruins." "Apparently, the powers that be think that it's too important to leave to hunters, and they are afraid regular scientists would get shredded."

Dante: "I know. Elly contacted me. Some type of 'top secret', very important mission. I wish I could go with you, but I have to watch the kids. And the actuator on my arm's acting up again. You really think you're gonna need Megatron to deal with some dumb Dimenians, though?"

Sage: "The administration sees it as 'better safe than sorry'. "

Dante: "Yeah right, you're just out of practice. Wuss..."

Sage: "Bite me, Dante. And let me speak to the hunk of bolts, please."

Dante: "Alright, just a sec..."

Sage arranged for Megatron to meet him at the Hunter's Guild, then went back inside to wait for his android companion. As he walked inside, Labyrinth fixed him with what, for an android, would be a questioning glance.

Lab: "Any luck contacting Megatron, sir?"

Sage: "Yeah, he's going to meet me here. Any luck with X and Lucca?"

Lab: "Yes, sir. They will meet you at the coordinates in thirty minutes."

When Megatron arrived, he and Sage left immediately. Materializing on the surface of Ragol, a few minutes away from the coordinates, they took time to ready their weapons. Sage removed a few capsules from the pockets of his coat, and released the Red Handgun and Yasminkov Handgun from inside of them.

Mega: "If you're a Force, how can you use the Yasminkov 2000? I was under the impression that only Rangers were licensed to use them."

Sage: "I've completed the Ranger certification course, and I'm licensed to use them. And I have ways of making sure I actually hit with it..."

Mega: "Yeah, Dante mentioned that you were 'weird'. How long did you two work together? I've known you since I was created three years ago, but Dante seems to have known you longer than that."

Sage: "Dante and I used to be partners, hunters working together. Then his arm got messed up, and work for hunters died out. We both retired, after a two-year career together. We've known each other most of our lives, however."

Mega: "That's interesting. He programmed me with parts of his personality, and fighting skill, but didn't put in any of his memories."

Sage: "He wanted you to learn on your own. That, and we made a drunken bet that even with bits of his personality, you wouldn't be half as much of an ass as he is if you didn't have his memories."

With that, the Racast and the Fomar continued to gird themselves for the possible battle. Megatron double checked his D-Parts, and hefted his Spread Needle. Sage settled his guns into the holsters built into his Sacred Cloth armor, and they headed for the ruins of the temple.

As they approached the entrance, a short Ramarl garbed in purple stepped from the shadows of one of the pillars. "You must be Sage and Megatron." "I'm Lucca." They exchanged pleasantries, and then decided to wait on the last member of their team, X. After about ten minutes, however, they received a call from Labyrinth.

Lab: "X has been detained, and will be there in approximately one hour."

Sage:" Great. We're just going to go ahead and go in."

Lab: "Very well, just be cautious."

Sage announced that they were going on ahead without X, to a flurry of protests from Lucca. "But, it's against regulations to not wait for the assigned members of the team!" Sage and Megatron just looked at each other, then walked past the sputtering purple-haired Ramarl.

Mega: "So, we have a 'legend' that doesn't show, and a rookie who'll probably try to attack with a copy of the rulebook. This should be fun..."

Sage:" Let's just hope we don't need X. If we run into something that the powers-that-be though only he could handle, we're probably dead."

As they continued into the ruins, they began to see the bodies of Dimenians scattered here and there.

Lucca: "Do you think X beat us here?"

Sage: "No way. These dimenians hit what they were aiming at. X isn't that sloppy. Besides, they were burned. X's weapons of choice are katanas. A strong tech-user passed through here recently."

Mega: "Oh, well lets hurry before this 'strong tech-user' steals all of our kills."

Lucca: "I don't think you'll have to worry about that..."

A troop of about twenty Dimenians had appeared from one of the cavernous rooms up ahead, and were slowly tromping towards them, their footsteps loud on the carved stone floor.

Sage: "Get ready, everyone!"

Mega: "Who died and made you the leader...?"

Next time: Ancient Ruins, Mass Carnage and the Return of X ... Stay tuned.

Ancient Ruins, Mass Carnage and the Return of X...

As the Dimenians slowly tromped towards the group of hunters with their claws upraised, Sage shouted for them to "Scatter!" Not bothering to draw his weapons, he simply began gathering power for a Gifoie technique. A few seconds later, the outward-spiraling cascade of flame slammed into the first row of Dimenians, but other than some slight singeing, there was no noticeable effect.

Megatron: "Wow, Sage, you are really out of practice. That should've fried them. Ah well, that's what this is for..." Megatron draws his Spread Needle, and begins blasting away at the approaching monsters. The rapid-fire spread of needles hits the first couple of Dimenians, temporarily paralyzing them, but doing little damage. Not that it really matters, since he wasn't aiming to kill. The Spread Needle's paralyzing shots stall the lead Dimenians, and in the limited confines of the corridor, the majority of the Dimenians are hemmed in by their fellows, unable to move. They snarl their rage, but at the moment are unable to do anything about it.

Mega: "So, since we have about 30 seconds 'til they start moving, anyone have any bright ideas? Other than 'give them a bad sunburn' plan thought up by our illustrious leader, of course."

Sage: "Shut up, Megatron. I do still have _some_ techniques that work. Shifta! Deband! Now, make with the killing."

Lucca: "I'll handle this."

She then proceeds to pull out a Red Scorpio, a powerful type of photon launcher, and begins sending blasts of energy at the hapless crowd of Dimenians. The already powerful shots, boosted by Sage's Shifta, tear through the Dimenians with a terrific force. A few seconds later, they have been reduced to pools of oddly glowing purple goo...

Mega: "Well, that was easy. Why are you here again, Sage?"

Sage: "Let's... just go."

The crew of Hunters continues onward into the ruins. Meanwhile...

In the residential district of Pioneer 2, a slender Humar wakes from a near-coma like sleep and groggily rolls over to turn off the communicator that has been beeping at him for the past hour. Realizing that he'll be unable to turn it off from his prone position, he (reluctantly) stands up and stalks over to the wall-mounted unit. "You have one new message. Classification: Urgent. Sender: Elly Person."

'Great, what does she want...' he thinks as he clicks on the message.

"X, it's Elly. Remember how we said we needed you to clear out a ruin for us? You know the one that was rated as being so dangerous that only a hunter of your caliber could possible come out alive? The one that we were willing to pay you handsomely for? Well, the team that was supposed to go with you left an hour ago!!! Please hurry to these coordinates. Thank you, Elly."

"Well, seems like the skank hasn't changed much in the past four years. But, I am getting paid for this." Twenty minutes later, he was dressed and headed downstairs to grab his trademark weapons. As he descended the stairs, he was greeted by a 5' 10" Hunewearl with an eye patch.

"Leah, I've gonna head out on that mission. Two hundred thousand meseta is almost worth getting up at this hour."

"You do realize that it's almost noon, right?"

"Jeez, I've saved the entire population of Pioneer 2 three times. You'd think I could sleep in once in a while..."

After dodging the pillow his roommate threw at him, he made his way to a safe inset into the wall of the living room. Hitting the combination, he reached in and withdrew two katanas. One was obviously the legendary Katana known as Yasha, but the other appeared to be one of the many fake Agitos that were the weapons of choice for aspiring hunters. Upon closer inspection, this blade was revealed to be _the_ OrochiAgito, the one true Agito. It had been through countless battles with him, and was partly the reason why those scrub hunters happened to like katanas so much. In the hands of a novice, it was a powerful weapon. In the skilled hands of X, it was unstoppable.

Properly equipped, the long-haired Humar left his apartment for the nearest teleporter, slowing only to check out the many female hunters that lived in his district. Being a legend often has its perks, yet it was a measure of his increasing age that he didn't take advantage of them. "Besides, Leah would gut me. Oh well, I can dream. Hope these idiots haven't gotten completely slaughtered yet." With these thoughts weighing on his mind, he stepped lightly into the teleporter, disappearing in a shimmer of light

The young boy named Sye was staggering through the ruins, incinerating anything in his path. In the back of his mind, a small sliver of "himself" could see what was going on, but had no control over it. He did not know how he was wielding this awesome power; he just knew that when a monster would pop up, it would die. He was terrified, but a certain part of him reveled in it as well. Feeling compelled by something he could not explain, he pressed onward, unable to regain control of his body.

As he threaded his way through the ruins, fighting off monsters with arcane abilities he never knew he possessed, and incapable of simply running and fleeing as he so wished to, he came upon a large, intricately carved door deep within the abandoned temple. Stepping up to it, he placed his hands into two large circles that were invisible to the naked eye, and chanted words that the logical part of his mind did not know.

MUTT DITTS POUMN! , he cried, and the massive door slid open on a recessed track, arcane seals upon it glowing with a mysterious light. As he peered into the gloom, he could dimly see an enormous altar, but the thing standing in front of him drew his more immediate attention. As the creature stepped forward (which a small part of his mind registered as a "Delsaber", from the holos his father had shown him) raising its bladed arm menacingly, he simply raised his right hand and unleashed a black wave of energy, obliterating the monster completely. He stepped to the altar, and picked up the dagger lying there.

With a cold detachment in his eyes, and the logical part of his mind screaming at him to stop, he held out his palm and sliced into it, letting the blood drip onto a dimly inscribed seal upon the floor. As a wave of white light filled the room, he lost consciousness...

The intrepid group of hunters pressed on, fighting off the relatively light resistance they encountered. Eventually, they came to a large room with two doors. As they stepped inside, the door slammed shut behind them, narrowly missing Sage's coat.

"Wonderful, what a great place for an ambush." Sage quipped.

"Well, let's get on with it then. You know, you have yet to actually kill anything..." Megatron replied. Any further remarks were cut short by the arrival of 20 Deldepths.

'Um, Sage... any plans?" I've never encountered these creatures before. Lucca had backed up, and was readying her Photon Launcher as the black disks began transforming into their roughly humanoid form.

"They are primarily Technique users. They can cast Barta techs as well as Megid. When they transform into their disk form, they are practically invulnerable. Be careful.'

And thus the battle began. Megatron strafed to the side, away from the entrance, blasting away with his Spread Needle all the while. Sage pulled his Red Handgun, and began tracking the skittering monsters, firing off a couple shots at a time that usually missed. Lucca was having no better luck with her cumbersome Photon Launcher, having not connected with a single shot yet.

After about ten minutes of frantic dodging and firing by our heroes, things were looking rather grim. Megatron was slightly damaged, Sage had narrowly avoided a few Megid-y deaths, and Lucca was terrified. Suddenly, as she dodged a Gibarta stream, she backed up straight into the path of an oncoming Megid. The glowing orb passed through her silently, and she crumpled to the floor, weapon falling from limp fingers.

'Lucca!" Sage cried out, but with the swirling Deldepths forming a ring around her, he was unable to approach within Reverser range.

"Sage, I think we have a problem...' Whatever else Megatron was going to say was cut short by a double blast of Megid that crumpled him.

With only one target left, the 15 remaining Deldepths swarmed around Sage.

I suppose I have no choice he thought, as he prepared to release the mental blocks he had erected around his psionic abilities. With a loud cry, he flexed his mental muscle with a wave of Telekinesis, pushing back the encroaching ring of death.

_Huh, I guess that's all I have left... damn._

Just as the Deldepths were about to close in for the finishing blow, a streak of light was seen.

When Sage looked closer, the first ring of Deldepths began to slide apart, sliced in half by an incredibly keen blade. Looking over to the other side of the room, he saw a slender Humar in a black battle suit, sheathing a katana with a smug look on his face.

'The other Deldepths are dead too, don't worry. You must've blinked... Sorry I'm late, by the way. My name is X."

As the unaccustomed mental exertion of using his telekinetic abilities caught up to him, Sage had time for a muttered thanks before falling to the floor, unconscious.

"Well, I cut that a little too close... any longer, and they would've been dead. Ah well, that's what Moon Atomizers are for." X thought, as he withdrew a small capsule from within his pocket.

One Moon Atomizer later, Sage had been returned to a basic semblance of consciousness. After reviving the others with Reverser, he popped a Trifluid to stave off a head-splitting energy deprivation headache. Since the room had stopped spinning, he proceeded to introduce everyone to X.

"Everyone, this is X..." Sage began to say.

"And I'm the reason you're all still alive. Sorry I'm late." X finished smoothly.

"Oh wow, it's really you! The slayer of Dark Falz, the person who crushed Neifirst's rebellion. I'm Lucca, nice to meet you. I can't believe I'm standing next to a legend! This is so cool... Is that the real Agito? Can I have your autograph? Blah, blah, blah..." Lucca began to gush excitedly. She didn't stop even when Megatron stepped forward.

"Nice to meet you, X. I'm Megatron. I've heard a lot about you."

"Uh, hi...." X reluctantly shook the hand the Megatron offered. His experiences with JiEin had made him a bit less wary of androids, but he still wasn't exactly a fan.

"So, Sage... you have telekinesis, so does that mean you have telepathic abilities as well?" X asked.

Lucca, to Megatron: "Sage has psychic powers?"

Megatron: "Yeah, he just sealed them away a long time ago, for some reason."

Sage, looking distinctly uncomfortable, replies: "Yeah, I have telepathic abilities too. I didn't want to unseal the blocks I put up, but I had to, or die. "Turning to X, he continued; " And just because I have them, doesn't mean I'm going to rummage through your mind like a sock drawer. I only use my abilities when I actually have to. You have nothing to worry about. None of you do..."

X: "Hey, relax. I've worked with a telepath before. Some crazy newman force girl. She was pretty nice, she just thought I was her uncle. I know you all have a code of ethics you follow. If you didn't, you would've wiped my mind of the memory of you using telekinesis before I said anything."

Sage: "Heh, good point. Do you mean Ayame? I helped train her."

"Yeah, that's her. I was asking to see if you could possibly scan ahead for D-Cell monsters, so we can avoid another ambush like this. I had the element of surprises, but without that I don't even think b I /b could take on that many Deldepths and come out unscathed."

"I can try, but D-Cell thought patterns are very chaotic, and hard to pick up. That, and I haven't used my powers in years. There's also a lot of psychic interference in these ruins all of a sudden. "

"Well then, let's get going." X said as he stepped towards the door. The other three fell into loose formation behind him. Megatron and Lucca on the sides, with Sage relatively well-protected in the back.

Altar room:

_Finally, I shall be able to leave this fleshy prison. X thought he killed me, but I'm going to delight in proving him wrong..._  
  
Sye is unconscious, laying in the middle of a light-streaming arcane circle that is inscribed upon the floor. If anyone had been there to watch what was happening, they would've seen a brilliant white light arc up from the floor, and would've heard a keening, ever-changing song in their heads. Since no one was there, however... no one could see what took place as Zio summoned the power of the Great Light...

Sage, walking at the back of the group, suddenly collapsed to one knee, barely able to remove his staff from it's capsule to catch himself before he fell flat on his face.  
  
Sage: "Unhh!"  
  
Lucca:" What happened? Are you ok?"  
  
Sage:" I... think so. Something is very, very wrong. We have to hurry."  
  
Megatron:" I'm picking up a massive energy reading from a little further inside the ruins. It's amazing the amount of power that's being given off... I've never seen anything like it."  
  
X:" I can feel it! We need to go, now. This is not good..."

Meanwhile, in the Military High Command Sensor Station...  
  
A tall, caped Humar is standing in front of a computer display as technicians work. He is dressed in dark blue, with a silver mane of hair stretching down to a midnight blue cape. As an alarm goes off, he turns to look at the monitor.  
  
Technician: Sir, we're picking up an anomalous reading from the ruin that was scheduled to be investigated today.  
  
Caped Leader: Report!  
  
Tech: It's a massive surge of energy. It's almost on par with the original readings of Dark Falz's energy!! What should I do, sir?  
  
Leader: I'll handle this myself. to his communicator: "Brom, Kikuu, meet me at transporter three. And hurry. We have a situation..."  
  
Tech, to other tech: "What's so bad that Eriror himself is going to investigate?"  
  
Tech2:" I don't know, but I'm rather worried. Brom, Kikuu and the Commander are three of the most powerful soldiers we have. If they can't handle it, we're doomed...'

As the group of hunters quickened their pace through the temple, they at last came to a large open room with a massive doorway at the end. As they stepped inside, a large green energy barrier appeared over the open doorway. Through the distortion of the field, they could see a pillar of white light shooting towards the sky, through the ceiling.  
  
X:"Wow, that doesn't look good. Wonder what's gonna try and kill us now?"  
  
Megatron:"Oh, probably... THAT! Look out!!!!"  
  
He was cut off by the materialization of an enormous Delbiter. While most Delbiters are the size of a Crimson Assassin or so, this was almost as big as a dragon. It was glowing with a faint green aura, as well. It stomped, shaking the ground and knocking Lucca down. It then fixed its sights on Megatron, roared and fired off a huge beam. With the speed at which it happened, he was unable to dodge. The force of the beam sent him into a wall, where he lay still and unmoving.  
  
X:" Spread out! It's probably about to charge." He practiced what he preached by leaping to the side and drawing his katana, then settling into his typical fighting stance, sword held high above his head with both hands, point towards the Delbiter.  
  
Lucca had time to draw her Mechguns, having eschewed the cumbersome photon launcher. As she began rattling off shots, they seemed to hit an invisible barrier a few inches in front of the Delbiter, doing no harm.  
  
Seconds later, the Delbiter charged her at full speed. Sage managed to telekinetically push her out of the way of the Delbiter's horn, but she got his by it's shoulder and rebounded off a wall. She was once again removed from a major fight within seconds...  
  
With only X and Sage still standing, the situation looked grim. X charged at the Delbiter, charging his sword with flame and leaping upward at the last second. His trademark Ryuenjin attack would have no effect this time, however. As his sword contacted the barrier, an enormous surge of energy was sent through his blade, temporarily paralyzing him. He fell to the ground with a shocked look on his face, and was barely saved from the trampling hooves of the Delbiter by a tk push from Sage.  
  
_Well, this looks bad. I'm going to have to overload the barrier somehow. But first, I need to stop it from moving._ Sage thought, as he began firing at the Delbiter with his Red Handgun. The shots only served to enrage it, doing no appreciable damage. They did take the creature's attention off of Sage's wounded teammates, however.  
  
With an ear-splitting roar, the beast charged. Sage was barely able to move out of the way in time, helped along with a telekinetic boost.  
  
The Delbiter was not so lucky, and impacted directly with the wall. Barely fazed, it turned to face him again, shaking off bits of debris that had cascaded on it from the shattered wall and weakened ceiling.  
  
Seeing the weakened structural integrity of the ruins, Sage suddenly had an idea. Firing past the Delbiter at the ceiling, he succeeded in knocking loose a shower of rock chunks. Aided by the pillars, stones and chunks of wall that lay around the room, Sage began using his telekinesis to bury the monster.  
  
_That won't hold it for long, but it should be just enough time for what I need to do._ With that thought, he began charging his Red Handgun with technique energy in one handas he drew his Yasminkov with the other.  
  
_A fully charged shot should overload the barrier... then I can strike._  
  
Unfortunately for him, the Delbiter had managed to free itself at this time. It stood, shaking off chunks of debris, then reared and let out a scream. It then dropped to all fours, and prepared to charge...

Frozen in a position of utmost concentration, Sage was relatively defenseless. Lucca, however was not. She had feigned taking a hit to get off an open shot, and fired off a blast from her Red Scorpio at the creature. It hit the barrier, made a shimmering distortion, then dissipated.

That brief distraction was all Sage required, however. He finished charging his shots, and yelled at the creature.

"Now, you die!!"

He fired his two shots simultaneously. The shot from the Red Handgun, boosted by all of his technique energy, was fired off in an enormous sphere of green energy. It hit the barrier first, and completely overloaded it, doing no harm to the creature. The second shot, from his Yasminkov, did quite a bit more damage... boosted by his telekinesis, it hit with the force of a meteor, blowing the Delbiter's head completely off.

Drained by his exertions, he slumped to the floor, breathing heavily.

Behind the barrier, a presence screamed in anger and frustration.

_Damn! I'm so close. I've activated the path of the Nephilim, and have absorbed almost enough energy to leave this fleshy prison. Only a little more..._

His dark prayers were quickly answered. A pulse of energy hit the circle from above, as if the energy streaming off of it was calling to something far greater. Sye screamed as the pulse hit his body, raising him off the floor. A dark cloud emerged from his body, and seemed to begin absorbing the energy. As the circle of light seemed to dim, the cloud took a more specific shape. Seconds later, a revived Zio stood in the center of the circle...

**Now, for even more power!**

**Great Light, I beseech you! Allow me to cleanse the universe of all who oppose me!!!**

And with those words, the Great Light granted his wish. A indescribably bright light filled the room, as a torrent of divine power flowed into him.

When the light faded, Zio stood over the slumped body of Sye. He had changed, however... his hair and eyes were pure silver, and he was dressed in clothes of the same color. He sparkled with energy now, glowing with power even to the untrained eye.

Meanwhile, back at the sensor station:

Tech:" Commander, the energy output just spiked!! It's a thousand times more energy than Dark Falz. It's enough energy to destroy the planet ten times over!!

Eriror:"Relax. We're on our way."

With that, the Humar and his companions stepped into the teleporter, fully convinced that they were the last hope of Ragol.

In the room adjacent to the one where a horrible usurpation of power had just occurred, Sage let out a yell. "Aah!! What the hell was that?"  
  
Megatron, who had just recently finished repairing himself, replied: "It probably has something to do with the massive surge of energy I just picked up. Do we have to go in there...?"  
  
X finally managed to get to an Antiparalysis, and got to his feet slowly. "That was pretty impressive, Sage."  
  
Sage: "Thanks."  
  
Lucca returned from testing the barrier to the next room, which had grown to fill the doorway, and had become completely opaque. "Well, we can't get through right now. I guess we'll just have to wait until whatever's in there is done."  
  
Megatron: "What a great plan! Wait for the ancient evil to kill us, huh? Why didn't I think of that?"  
  
Just then, they all heard a loud voice scream:  
**" Great Light, I beseech you! Allow me to cleanse the universe of all who oppose me!!!'**  
  
The voice was followed by a flash of incredibly bright light, that even screened through the opaque barrier was blinding.  
  
Megatron: "I'm thinking that's not a good thing."  
  
X: "No, it's not. It's...  
  
Sage: "Zio. And he just attained an immeasurable amount of power. We have a problem..."  
  
As Sage said this, the barrier disappeared, and a silver-garbed figure stepped through the doorway.  
  
In an oddly lilting, musical voice it said:  
  
**"I am Zionus. I am the avatar of the Great Light's true power. To oppose me is death. Prepare to face your doom, for I am power incarnate!"**


	2. Battle With Zionus

A frantic buzzing of the doorbell summoned Leah to her living room. "Hold on a sec, I'm coming." _If X forgot his key again, I'm going to kill him._ Opening the door, she was nearly bowled over by a short, slightly built Fonewearl with purple hair. Before she could say anything, her visitor began talking excitedly.  
  
"Auntie Leah, Auntie Leah! Where's Uncle X? I really, really need to talk to him. Where is he?"  
  
"Ayame, calm down. He left on a mission about two hours ago. What's so urgent?"  
  
"Something really, really bad is going to happen, and if Uncle X is there, I'm afraid he's gonna get hurt. I was supposed to go with him, but he left without me. I'm really worried."  
  
"Ayame, just relax. I'm sure he'll be fine. He's with other hunters, and he's very good at what he does."  
  
"Yeah, but there's some big bad things that have been able to beat even him. I need to go to where he's at. Do you have the coordinates? I lost mine..."  
  
_I'm probably going to regret this, but she's proven she can take care of herself before. _  
"Sure, I'll give you the coordinates. Just be careful. I'm assuming X will have everything taken care of by now, but still..." Leah proceeded to copy the coordinates from X's computer into Ayame's PDA. "Ok, now be careful. And tell X to go by the store when he gets done. I've got to go to work. See you later."  
  
Ayame wasn't really listening to what she said. For weeks now, she'd been having a recurring dream. In each, a dark figure would attack her, and kill the ones she loved, one by one. Each time, she would wake up in a cold sweat right before she herself was attacked.  
  
Last night, though, it was much more vivid, and all the more horrible. She had seen X be incinerated in a beam of energy and she was powerless to stop it. Since beginning her training with Sage, the incidents of her powers acting up had gradually subsided. The precognitive dreams had been mostly been proven to be simply dreams. She had an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach about this one, however. Determined to prevent it, she resolved to hurry.  
  
With a muttered "Hinas!" she teleported herself out of Leah's living room, not even stopping for a thank you. The uneasy feeling was growing stronger by the second...  
  
_Huh, that was odd. Usually she says goodbye before she leaves. She must be really worried. Oh, well, I'm sure the idiot has everything under control._ With that thought, Leah began to get ready for work.

Eriror, Brom and Kikuu materialized outside of the abandoned temple on the surface of Ragol.   
  
"Let's take this by the book. I'm on point. Brom, you take left flank. Kikuu, you take right. Set your scanners for D-Cell emanations. If something's going to pop up at us, I want to know about it beforehand. We need to get in there and find out what's going on ASAP. Get ready." With that, Eriror drew his massive greatsword, the legendary Zanba. Settling it comfortably on his shoulders, he started towards the ruins.  
  
"Hey, Brom. 5000 meseta says that when we find whatever's in there, Tollaw'll kill it before we get a chance to." The tall, slender, yellow-colored Hucast said to his companion.  
  
The robed figure declined to answer at first, intent as he was on readying his equipment. Drawing out his Imperial Pick, he turned to Kikuu: "I'd take that bet, but I'm sure you'd win. He's a freakin' killing machine. Why do you always call him 'Tollaw', though? A Tollaw's a type of bug native to Ragol, isn't it?"  
  
"A type of bug that 'was' native to Ragol. Eriror made them extinct pretty much single-handedly. They were vicious and freakishly intelligent. A total menace. He wiped 'em out." Kikuu was saying as he and Brom stepped toward the ruins. "Tell you what, instead of money, how about we share information on the bet. Why'd you join this outfit, and why do you wear that stupid bum getup?"  
  
"Once again, it's no contest. Betting on the outcome's pretty pointless. But anyway... I wear this "bum get-up" because it's a type of camouflage. And I joined because he's supplying me with a choice new targetting upgrade after this year's service. A top of the line military model."  
  
"Ok, I knew you were an android. Why camouflage yourself as a meatbag, though? Have some droid pride, man!" With this, Kikuu finally decided to draw his weapons, pulling out a pair of well-worn S-Red's Blades. His prowess with these was almost as well-known as his utter ferocity in combat.  
  
"I prefer my camo. People look at androids strangely. They don't look at me. I'm just some nameless bum. Anyway, we should probably get going. The boss is already inside."

The two androids stepped inside, catching up to their leader. As the three proceeded into the first anteroom, they were surprised to see a shimmer of light flash in front of them. Readying themselves for combat, they were unprepared to see the Fonewearl that appeared out of thin air to land on her backside with a muffled "oomph!"  
  
"Hi, I'm Ayame. Are you here to investigate the ruins?"  
  
"Yes, we are." Eriror said with a bemused look on his face. "What are you doing here, miss?"  
  
"I'm here to help my Uncle X. Something really bad is about to happen, and he's gonna need my help. I have to hurry."  
  
"Show me your Guild Card, now please." Eriror took Ayame's card, and after scanning it for a brief instant...  
  
"We're planning on heading that way, and since you are a registered Force, I'll allow you to accompany us. This is a military operation however, and you will be subject to my command. Do you agree?"  
  
"Yeah, sure, Mr. Soldier-Man. We just have to hurry!'  
  
"The name's Eriror. These are my subordinates, Brom and Kikuu."  
  
"Nice to meet you."  
  
"So, Miss Ayame. What type of 'bad thing' are you talking about? Our scanners detected a massive surge of energy a little while ago. It may be connected to what you were referring to. '  
  
"Yeah, it probably is. It feels all funny in the pit of my stomach. It's like a bad guy's staring at me constantly. And I can feel a lot of power running around here."  
  
"Kikuu? Picking up anything odd?"  
  
"No, sir. Nothing has changed about the energy emanations, although the pulses themselves seem to be getting steadier."  
  
"Well then, we should hurry. Move out."  
  
Three high level hunters and a force make for a rather efficient team, and they swiftly cut down any resistance they encountered. As they progressed deeper into the temple, they came upon a massive doorway blocked by an energy barrier. Despite their best efforts, they could not find a way past.  
  
"Hmm, Kikuu? Report, please." Eriror said, after about ten minutes of trying to force his way past the barrier.  
  
"Well, sir. The source of the energy is a few hundred meters past this blocked doorway. We can't get past, however."  
  
Brom spoke up. "Sir, I'm assuming that whatever's giving off the energy is creating this barrier. The structure of the temple prevents teleportation into and out of the building, at least while that barrier is up. We're standing in between that thing and its only exit. I suggest we wait for it to get done, and then make sure it doesn't leave, since we can't do anything right now, anyway."  
  
"Well, sounds like a good plan. Ayame, do you have anything to add?"  
  
"The bad feeling is strongest that way, past the barrier. And Uncle X and Mr. Sage are there too! We have to try and help them, but we can't with that barrier up. I guess there's not much we can do at this point. I hope they're ok."  
  
_Sage, huh? I didn't know **he** was here. Oh well, maybe I'll luck out and he'll get killed... _Eriror thought.  
  
"Very well. We'll wait until the barrier drops, then kill whatever's inside. Take your positions, people."

Standing in the middle of the room, glowing with divine energy, the being known as "Zionus" was an intimidating prescence.  
  
"** So, which of you dare to face me? X, I have a score to settle with you, but I like to leave the best for last. So, who's first? **"  
  
Megatron, deciding to take the insane demi-god up on his challenge, stepped forward. "Bring it, glow boy! What're you gonna do, bad anime-quote me to death?" His quip was answered by a searing beam of light that shot from Zionus' suddenly outstretched palm. The beam pulsed for a second as it hit Megatron's arm.  
  
When it subsided, only a smoking bundle of wires was left at the place where his right arm would have been. "Aaugghh!," he cried out. Although he was physically incapable of feeling 'pain', his sensors detected the sheer amount of power required to vaporize his arm. With the utter lack of effort it seemed to take Zio to turn him into an amputee, he assumed that he was in major trouble.  
  
Observing this spectacle, the rest of the group stood, shocked, briefly immobilized in awe. Seconds later, their brains kicked in, and they scattered, Sage hurriedly casting Shifta and Deband as they spread out to make a smaller target.  
  
Megatron simply stood, giving a decent approximation of an android's shocked stare. This was a serious tactical error on his part, because the second beam Zionus cast at him knocked him flat. This beam had less cutting power behind it, but a lot more force. His scrambled sensors briefly registered the amount of force as enough to flatten a mountain, before his auto-repair subroutines shut him down for emergency repair. He managed to get out a muttered "Sage, kick his ass!" before he lapsed into the android version of a coma.  
  
Thirty seconds into the fight, and already a member of the team was down. _Why do I always end up getting my people hurt and killed?_ Sage wondered, as he tried to telepathically probe Zionus. Hopefully, he could shut down his brain and end this fight quickly, before anyone else got hurt. From what he'd heard, Zio was a powerful wizard, and had given X a lot of trouble during Neifirst's rebellion. He seemed to have gotten even stronger since...  
  
The sheer power he felt as his mind met Zionus' was stunning. It was like touching the surface of the sun. As he broke the link, Zionus just laughed evilly. _He shouldn't have been able to detect that. Oh no, what are we up against?! _He slammed shut his mental defenses, and began working on keeping himself protected against more traditional forms of attack.  
  
Lucca was amazed. In thirty seconds, Megatron had been taken out. Hoping against hope that her, Sage and her idol, X could take this thing down, she readied her Red Scorpio photon launcher, and fired off a blast. It hit Zionus full on, with no effect. He laughed, and blasted her gun into slag, curiously leaving her unharmed. She shrieked in terror, unable to stop herself.  
  
**Don't worry my little pet; I'll play with you later. I just wanted to get rid of that dangerous gun before you hurt yourself.**  
  
**Hmph, X... it seems as if your new friends are no match for me. Would you like to try? Hahahahaha!!!**  
  
X, hurriedly doging the balls of energy Zionus was rapidly casting at him, began to get a little worried. _He's not really trying. I wonder why... Is he that powerful? I had trouble taking him down last time, and that was with competent help. This time may be a bit more complicated... _

Zionus, being unable to hit X because of his incredible speed, decided to change tactics. Blasting at him wasn't working, so he opted to melee instead. Descending from his hovering position, he formed a fraction of his new divine power into a blade of pure light that streamed from his hand.  
  
**"Well, you insignificant little gnat. Let's try this your way, since you're afraid to try and attack me"**  
  
_'Insignificant gnat, huh? He's getting overconfident. It's like he wants to die. Oh, well... far be it from me to deny him a trip to the reaper..._"Alright Zio, let's go. You seem to have forgotten the ass-kicking I gave you last time, so let me refresh your memory!" he yelled, as he drew his katana and leaped at Zionus in a perfectly timed slash. The beam of light caught the katana, and a few blows were rapidly exchanged, with neither combatant gaining the upper hand.  
  
Watching the furious display of swordsmanship that had erupted, Sage and Lucca were transfixed. Seeing firsthand the awesome skill that had earned X the title of 'Legend' was amazing. Even with X's superior skill, Zionus seemed to be holding his own. They knew that a fraction of a second's mistiming on X's part could lead to his downfall. Evidence of this was scattered around the room, as Zionus' light blade cleaved walls and chunks of debris far more often than it came close to X's blade. With the ease of which it slashed through them, it was easy to see what it could do to X. The mythical Orichi-Agito that X wielded seemed to be immune to its effects, as it deflected the blade time after time with no ill effects.  
  
So, they decided to prevent that. Lucca drew her mechguns, and began blasting away at the pissed-off demigod, as Sage tried in vain to help Megatron. Sprinting over to his fallen comrade, Sage cast a Reverser technique that had no effect. When Resta and Trimates both failed next, he realized that it was pointless. He would have to let Megatron heal on his own, and try to give him the time to. As he realized this, a voice spoke inside his head...  
  
_Wise one, this battle cannot be won at the present time. Trying will only make you lose more than is gained. To defeat Zionus, you must sever his connection to the Great Light. Doing this is impossible without the ability to survive his power. Come to Dezolis, and gain the knowledge and power to do this. We beseech you! Take up the mantle of Lutz, and destroy this usurper of the Great Light's divine power! A gate shall be opened soon... you must go through it, no matter what the cost. Good luck._  
  
Sage stood stunned for a second, wondering where that voice had come from. The battle raged on in front of him, but his thoughts were elsewhere, trying to reestablish contact with the mysterious, yet comforting presence he had just felt.

Sage decided to stop gawking, and drew his guns as well, pouring a furious volley of fire onto Zionus. Lucca's shots were often going awry, but the sheer volume was overwhelming. This, combined with X's furious assault, and Sage's telekinetically guided bullets, soon began to take a heavy toll.  
  
As the hunters gained the upper hand, Zionus began to get frustrated. _Why can I not defeat them? I'm a god! I'll destroy them all!!! _  
  
A split-second later, when Zionus went to dodge a blast from Sage, X leaped into the air, coming down on him with a icy stab. "Hyouretsuzan!", he yelled as he descended with a terrific force. Trying to block this, he was tagged by a stream of Lucca's bullets, and screamed in a mixture of rage and frustration.  
  
"Die**, you pathetic maggots! This farce ends now!!!" **  
  
Dispelling his blade, he raised both hands, causing a barrier of solid energy to spring up around him, knocking X back. Surrounded by his barrier, he began to gather power, screaming with rage all the while.  
  
With his attention focused on gathering power for his blast, he was unable to keep up the interference barrier that was blocking telepathic transmissions out. Sage, sensing a familiar presence, called out to Ayame. _"Ayame, it's Sage.'  
  
"Sage?! What's going on? Are you and Uncle X okay?"  
  
"Yes, for now. Zionus is gathering power for a massive attack. The barrier he has up will likely drop. I'm going to shield us against the attack, but I can only pull it off once, likely. You need to teleport in when the barrier drops."  
  
"Okay, I'll try. Be careful!"  
  
"Heh, okay. Thank you, and good luck. We need you..."_  
  
By this time, Zionus had gathered enough energy. He released it mere heartbeats after Sage had surrounded himself, X, Lucca and Megatron in a powerful telekinetic barrier. The force of the blast filled the room, expanding in a dome of destruction similar to a Rafoie technique.  
  
Shielding against the blast took almost everything he had, and he slumped to the floor, spent and breathing heavily as Zionus screamed his rage.   
  
**WHY WON'T YOU JUST DIE ALREADY!!!!! **  
  
With this, what was left of Zionus' "sanity" completely snapped. He was a god, and these insects were impeding his path to glory. As X leaped at him in another furious slash, he simply raised his hands and unleashed a wave of energy, warping the fabric of space and time around the airborne hero. When the light subsided, only his katanas were left...

_No! Damn, I've failed again... X..._ Sage, reeling with exhaustion and pain, fell to the floor. Unfortunately for him, this was the time that Zionus chose to assault him.  
  
**Die, little telepath!** Focusing his energy, he fired an entirely different kind of beam than the one he shot at X. This, instead of his dimension-warping beam, was more akin to the piercing laser he'd used to amputate Megatron's arm, yet infinitely more powerful. When it was intersected by a hurtling one-armed android, it only served to enrage him even more.  
  
"Sage, run!" Megatron managed, as the beam meant for Sage obliterated him.  
  
All that was left of the android was a small pile of parts and some assorted circuits when Zionus finished venting his rage...

Back at the sensor center:  
  
"Sir, I've just picked up a massive surge of energy, followed by a teleportation signature out of the temple."  
  
"Is the energy source still there?"  
  
"Yes, it's like someone was teleported out of the ruins by the entity."  
  
"Keep me appraised. We can't inform Commander Eriror, because our communications are unable to reach him. Let's hope nothing is going wrong.'

As Ayame teleported into the room, unnoticed by all, the first thing she saw was X disappearing in a flash of light. Stunned as she was by this, she was even more shocked when the shiny silver guy tried to kill Sage. Seeing the robot sacrifice himself to save Mr. Sage was the last straw, however.  
  
Raising her Summit Moon, she cast a massive fireball at Zionus' unprotected back. It hit him squarely, as his attention was elsewhere, and winded him. Ayame proceeded to follow up with every technique she had, blinded by rage as she poured arcane destruction onto him.  
  
"You big meanie!! Why'd you have to hurt Uncle X?!!? I'll make you pay!!!" Sobbing with rage and anguish, she loosed her full power, attempting to blast him into oblivion.  
  
Surprised by Ayame's sudden, fierce attack; and drained from the energy he'd been putting out, Zionus decided to make a strategic retreat. He had plans to take care of, and needed to gather his strength for the next stage of his plan. With but a word, he vanished, teleporting away to parts unkown.

Ayame, seeing her prey escaping, decided to follow. Focusing on the energy he was putting out, she attempted to teleport to where he was. "Hinas!', and she was gone.  
  
With Ayame's routing of Zionus, Lucca and Sage were able to take stock of the situation. X was gone, vaporized or something. Megatron was a pile of parts, and both Sage and Lucca were exhausted. Not only that, but they had found what was in the ruins, but failed to contain it.  
  
"Lucca."  
  
"Yeah, Sage?" she said, as she slowly walked over to him.  
  
"See if you can salvage Megatron. I've got something to take care of.  
  
With those words, a woman garbed in white, with a veil covering all of her face but a pair of piercing blue eyes appeared from thin air.  
  
"I am Lissandra. I shall heal you." With a single cast of her super-Resta, both Sage and Lucca's wounds were healed, their exhaustion lifted. "The android is too far gone, I'm afraid. However, his memories can be saved."  
  
"Who are you?" Lucca asked, with a hint of suspicion in her voice.  
  
"Ask your friend. I spoke to him earlier. He knows my intentions..."  
  
"Lucca, she's here to help. I'm not reading any deception from her."  
  
"Yes. I come from Dezolis, the bastion of hope against the Darkness. I can help you defeat Zionus, if you are willing to accompany me."  
  
"Ok, lady, I'll go. We were powerless against him, anyway. I'm tired of my failure costing people's lives. He must pay." Sage said, as he stepped closer to her. "Lucca, take Megatron to a man named Dante. He can tell you what to do. Then, get in contact with Labyrinth at the Guild. He can come up with a plan."  
  
"But Sage, how are we supposed to fight a god? He's invincible..."  
  
"I'm going to find out. Hold out here until I get back. And tell Dante what happened, he can help you."  
  
"Lucca, good luck. I shall help Sage to the best of my ability, and then we will return to aid you. Be strong, young one. There will be trying times ahead for you..."  
Sage and Lissandra stepped through the portal, and vanished. As they left, Lucca heard a voice in her head. _Lucca, the gate will stay open for a few minutes. Try to keep anyone from going through it. May your journey be successful._

As Lucca walked over to Megatron, attempting to salvage what she could, Eriror, Brom and Kikuu walked through the door.  
  
"What happened here, soldier?"  
  
Lucca, snapping immediately to attention, replied: "The entity that appeared when we were sent to investigate the ruins, which is known as Zionus, destroyed both X and Megatron, then was driven off by a Force. Sage disappeared through that portal with someone who said they could help stop Zionus." Lucca realized as she said this that mentioning Sage's name had been a mistake. From what she had picked up, the commander hated Sage.  
  
"Brom, I want you to follow him and report. I don't know where this portal leads, but in recognition of this service to me, I'll consider your part of our 'deal' completed upon your return. You will receive your reward when you return, regardless of the six months left on our contract. Good luck, soldier."  
  
"Yes, sir." Brom stepped through the teleporter, over Lucca's intense protests. He vanished, and seconds later the portal closed.  
  
"Sir, no one was supposed to follow. Extra passengers may have destabilized the portal. I feel that action was inadvisable and dangerous." "Sir", she added hastily.  
  
"Lucca, you have been a good subordinate. But Sage is not to be trusted. I'll take your comments under advisement, and because of the ordeal you've suffered I won't write you up for the insubordination you just blatantly displayed. I'll expect you to report to headquarters tomorrow morning. Get some rest, soldier."  
  
"Kikuu, gather up the parts of that droid for analysis. We're leaving." Eriror then created a telepipe, and prepared to step through. When Kikuu joined him with Megatron's remains, they departed.  
  
_Lucky for me, I've got his control chip. I need to find that Dante guy. The commander isn't taking this seriously enough. He's powerful, but so is X, and Zionus flattened him. I'm worried. _Shaking off her doubts, she telepiped out of the temple.

Lucca telepiped back to Pioneer II, looked up Dante, and went to his living quarters. The door was answered by a tall, thin man with dark hair, the build of a retired hunter, and a large bionic right arm.  
  
"Hello, are you Dante? Sage sent me. I'm Lucca, and this (indicating the memory chip she held) is all that's left of Megatron."  
  
"Yeah, I know. I have a telepathic link with Sage. He explained what happened right before he left. I hear you guys got your asses kicked. Hmph, he shouldn't have gone without me."  
  
"Yeah, it was pretty bad. We were lucky to make it back alive. Look, the military has most of Megatron's parts. This is all I could grab. "  
  
"Heh, that's ok. The part you grabbed is his memory bank, and that's what makes him special. The rest of the parts are slag compared to this. Would you like to come inside?"  
  
"No, thank you. I'm exhausted, and I have to make a report tomorrow. Good night." With that, she turned and walked off.  
  
"Thanks for saving him. And for watching out for Sage. I'm impressed. Good luck tomorrow."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
_I'm probably going to need it..._  
  
_Hmm... she's a cutie. I wonder where Sage picked her up. She seems a little uptight, but... never mind. Now to see what I can do about Megatron._ Dante wandered back inside, and set about trying to salvage his greatest creation.  
  
The next day, Lucca trudged to headquarters to give her report. After debunking everything she said, condemning her for letting Zionus escape, belittling her for believing Sage and temporarily suspending her, she was allowed to leave. As she walked out of the tribunal's room, Eriror approached her.  
  
"Lucca, I'm sorry about that. The suspension is for your own good, however. Sage is a psychic, and he can sway people's perceptions. With that, and the ordeal you just went through, you need a while to get your head straight."  
  
"Sage isn't a criminal! If it wasn't for him, we would've all died!"  
  
"As opposed to two of you dying? It seems as if he didn't try to stop that."  
  
"Commander, why do you hate him so much? What did he ever do? He has a spotless record of hunting, and earned some high accolades."  
  
"We have... history together. We crossed paths many times, and have a pattern of conflict. I can't believe that he wasn't acting in his best interests at the cost of others'."  
  
"Thank you for the information, commander."  
  
"Oh, and we gleaned all the information we could out of what was left of the android. Should we dispose of the remnants?"  
  
"Sure, go ahead. It doesn't matter to me, I'm not his owner."  
  
"He was emancipated. What would be a fitting burial for him, since you knew him?"  
  
"Probably space disposal. I'm not really sure."  
  
"Very well, then. Get some rest, Lucca."  
  
"Thank you, sir. I'll keep in touch."

The interior of the Hunter's Guild, later that day:  
  
Labyrinth is looking up the report on the computer, wondering how best to approach the situation. With the lack of hunters, his job doesn't seem that important. However, the new threat of Zionus seems fit to put the Guild back in business. Turning from the computer screen, he is surprised as his sensors pick up a massive surge of energy.  
  
"Greetings. What business do you have with the guild? We serve to enrich the lives of Hunters..."  
  
**"My business, droid, is with the world. I need to 'borrow' your broadcasting equipment. Thank you for your time. Now, die!**  
  
Zionus fired the same blast at Labyrinth that he fired at Megatron, but this time it had drastically different results.  
  
Although he did not "know" it consciously, Labyrinth was originally intended by his designers to be the ultimate combat model. With the dying off of the hunting trade, and the mass exodus to Vanadile, those subroutines were simply buried. Under extreme provocation, however... they could be reactivated.  
  
Reacting faster than a human could see, Labyrinth had raised his hands to deflect the blast before he even knew what he was doing. The beam-reflective coating on his body absorbed the beam, shunting it to his servos, having an effect akin to Shifta. Long-unused combat programs sprang to life, and he leaped at Zionus bare handed, hitting him with a punch that sent him reeling.  
  
**What are you?** Zionus asked, as he slowly drew himself to his feet. The blast of energy he was preparing was unneeded, however, as Labyrinth's anti-violence subroutines shut him down.  
  
Labyrinth's combat abilities had been blocked, and barring a reboot and reprogramming, he was unable to use his combat potential without shutting down, as a safeguard against hurting humans. Zionus looked human, so he was included in the "no-violence" parameters.   
  
Double-checking to see that the droid wasn't moving, he proceeded to do what he came for.  
  
Tapping into the system, he began to speak:  
  
**People of Ragol! I am Zionus, the avatar of the Great Light. I have been sent to purge this system of the unclean. All who join me will be spared, all who oppose me will die. Come, and join in the new golden age by giving your souls to me. Refuse, and be cleansed in the flames of divine wrath!**

As a red-robed figure lounged in a chair, flipping through channels aimlessly, his programming was interrupted by a message. _Gah! Not another one of these damnable public service announcements..._ He was drastically mistaken, which he soon found out when he observed Zionus' tirade.  
  
**People of Ragol! I am Zionus, the avatar of the Great Light. I have been sent to purge this system of the unclean. All who join me will be spared, all who oppose me will die. Come, and join in the new golden age by giving your souls to me. Refuse, and be cleansed in the flames of divine wrath!**  
  
"Umm... Kiara? I think you might want to come see this. Some nut job's on the screen. I think he might be one of those televangelists."  
  
The blond-newman female in the black outfit turned from her indoor practice ring. Sheathing her twin Kamuis, she fixed her green-eyed gaze upon the screen.  
  
"Hmm... this looks serious. We might want to go get Nova. Axios, you wanna do it? You know how he _hates_ being interrupted when he's training..."  
  
"Sure, Kiara. Just make sure that if televangelist boy here says something cool, I hear about it. I'll be right back."  
  
The red-haired Fomar stood, stretched lazily, then left to find his partner.  
  
Outside, a row of target firing machines was set up. A black-garbed, dark-haired Ramar hit a switch with his back to where the targets would go. Waiting a half second, he whirled, drew his mechguns and began firing. Seconds later, all of the targets had been broken by a hail of Yasminkov bullets. At ranges that would be unheard of on a good sniper rifle.  
  
"Why do you keep practicing, Nova? You're already the best shot on the planet."  
  
"If I dont' keep practicing, I won't be the best. Besides, I like shooting stuff. With no jobs around lately, that particular itch hasn't been scratched in a while...'  
  
"Well, speaking of jobs, some nutcase is on the screen talking about 'world domination', and 'cleansing of the unclean.' I think it may be related to the ruins incident the other day. We might even be able to finagle our way into a government contract for this one. I heard X got taken out..."  
  
"Yeah, sounds like the Dreamchasers' kind of thing. Let's go check it out."  
  
The group of hunters settled around their viewscreen, as transfixed by the spectacle unfolding as everyone else.

On the screen:  
  
**To prove my omnipotence, I shall bring back an infamous killer. He was thought slain by your precious "hero" X, but then again, who wasn't? I present to you... **  
  
As Zionus says this, the viewpoint zooms out to a glowing circle on the floor. Arcane chanting can be heard, and a blinding portal seems to open inside the circle. A slender human with dark hair steps out, garbed in red and black with a huge nodachi sheathed on his back. Turning to face the camera is the frightening visage of X, but with cool blue eyes instead of his normal warm green.  
  
**the legendary hunter, Zero!!!**  
  
Leah, watching at home, does a spit-take with her tea. Here she had been, not hearing anything from X even after coming home from work ... and his dark side reemerges. Before she knew what was happening, she was sobbing uncontrollably. _I think it's the end of the world. If Zero's back, then everything we worked for, all the peace and prosperity is gone. X, where are you...?_

In the Military High Command, Eriror is watching the viewscreen with a look of disbelief on his face.  
  
"Kikuu, we're leaving. Now's our chance!" They hurried to the transporter, hoping to catch their quarry before he left again.  
  
Dante, watching on the screen, put in a call to Lucca. "Isn't your android friend at the Guild?"  
  
"Yeah, Labyrinth is there. Do you think he's alive?"  
  
"If it's the same Labyrinth I'm thinking of, yeah. He's a top of the line combat model, and damn-near indestructible. He just doesn't know it..."  
  
"Could we download Megatron's memory into him?"  
  
"Yeah, but that's highly illegal. Does little Ms. Military want to go lawbreaking?"  
  
"I'm suspended, and yes. He would be extremely helpful."  
  
"Alright then, I'll meet you there. Let's hope Zionus leaves soon..."  
  
Meanwhile, Eriror and Kikuu were halfway to the Hunter's Guild. Unfortunately for them, as soon as Zionus made his announcement and stole some equipment, he left. "Dammit, we're too slow."  
  
"Sir, what should we do with the droid? He's a Omega-class..."  
  
"Leave him. HQ has tracked Zionus. We're going to end his little rampage today. We can worry about a decommissioned secretary droid later."

They left hastily, in hot pursuit of Zionus. About ten minutes later, Lucca and Dante showed up.  
  
"Wow, he really trashed the place. Let's go."  
  
"Dante, help me he's rather heavy."  
  
"Okay, ok. I'm gonna warp us directly back to my house with him."to his communicator "Jessie, hon... could you warp us back, now?"  
  
from the communicator, a voice is heard "Yeah, sure. Hold on a sec.... energizing."  
  
With that, they warped to Dante's workshop. "Lucca, this is my wife, Jessie. Jessie, this is a friend of Sage's."  
  
"Nice to meet you. Are you going to be working in the lab again?"  
  
"Yeah, sure. I'm downloading Megatron's memory into this bot, and doing some maintenance."  
  
"Alright, have fun. But remember, it's your turn to watch the kids tomorrow."  
  
"Okay, ok. I won't forget..."  
  
After Jessie left, they set up Labyrinth and began to work. Several hours later, they had removed the anti-violence subroutines, rebooted his original personality, and released the locks on his weapons.  
  
"Why didn't they let this guy loose before? He's a freakin' killing machine!! Nearly impenetrable armor that absorbs energy, kinetic or otherwise. A marksmanship ability that's better than most human masters. Superior strenght, better than most Hucast's. Triple-redundant repair and anti-virus systems. He even has a beam cannon in his chest! He's wonderful!!! And with Megatron's memories, he'll be sure to have a bone to pick with Zionus. Let's activate him..."  
  
"Hello, master and mistress. What is your command?"  
  
mumbling, then a flipped switch "Keep away the smileys! They are the devil!!!"  
  
Another flipped switch "Lucca, Dante. Thank you for rebuilding me. Do we have a plan to stop Zionus, or what?"  
  
Lucca & Dante sighed their relief. Finally, he was done.  
  
"No Labyrinth, not yet. Sage is working on it."  
  
"Very well."  
  
"You know, Lab... you've got so much hardware built into you, we outta call you Labyrinth Tank...." Dante said.  
  
"No, just no. I like Labyrinth. Thank you for your unneeded opinion, however."   
  
Lucca heaved a sigh, and stretched. "Ah, this is going to be interesting. I'm going home and going to bed. Good night, guys. "  
  
Standing outside Dante's house, she stared up at the stars, wondering where Sage had gone to and why she found herself caring so much....


	3. Dezolian Holiday

Just to recap what's been going on... The fight with Zionus ended rather badly. Standing in the aftermath of the struggle, a strange woman appeared. After healing them, she told of Dezolis, and a way to obtain the power necessary to defeat Zionus. Sage, feeling desperate, decided to take the gamble and follow her. Stepping towards the portal with the woman known as Lissandra, he was stopped by Lucca:

"But Sage, how are we supposed to fight a god? He's invincible..."

"I'm going to find out. Hold out here until I get back. And tell Dante what happened, he can help you."

"Lucca, good luck. I shall help Sage to the best of my ability, and then we will return to aid you. Be strong, young one. There will be trying times ahead for you..."  
Sage and Lissandra stepped through the portal, and vanished.

Sage felt as if he had left his body, and was floating free through space. He couldn't see, hear or detect anything with his senses, other than a general feeling of incredibly rapid movement. With his psychic abilities, however, he could stay in mindtouch with Lissandra.

_So, how long will this take? It feels entirely different from a telepipe._

_It'll only take a few more seconds. It feels different from a telepipe because we're travelling an exponentially greater distance. Dezolis is on the other side of the galaxy from Ragol. Anyway, we should be arriving... now! Brace yourself, and please try not to be ill._

He was able to brace himself, but the request to not be ill was impossible. His entire body felt as if it had been turned inside out and upside down. After vividly recalling his breakfast onto the snowy landscape, and sitting down for a few minutes until he was able to stand, the feeling of disorientation subsided. He was in the middle of a vast, snowy plain, and he was very cold. His clothing, suited to the relatively warm weather of Ragol, was entirely unsuited for this alien landscape. Looking around and not finding Lissandra, he reached out a subtle tendril of thought, at the same time wondering what the low rumbling noise he was hearing could be.

_Lissandra?_

_I'm over here, Sage. About ten meters behind you. I have a bit of a problem..._ Her mind-voice was tinged with the slight edge of barely-suppressed panic.

Turning around, he saw why she was panicking. Standing over her was what appeared to be a mole. Normally, this wouldn't be cause for panic, but most moles are not 10 feet tall, and white. With enormous claws, and a look as if it was entirely carnivorous, and very skilled at it.

To make matters worse, Lissandra seemed to be unable to stand. Her foot was lying at an odd angle, and it looked as if her ankle had been broken. In the one and a half seconds it had taken Sage to absorb all this, the mole had lumbered forward and looked as if it was about to put its massive claws to good use.

As he drew his gun, he telekinetically focused his aim on the creature's chest. Hoping he was about to hit something vital, he fired three quick shots, which left enormous smoking craters in the mole's flesh. It toppled onto its back and stopped moving, letting out a keening moan as it died. "Hrrreearrgghhh!".

Holstering his gun, he rushed over to her, the ankle length hem of his coat sweeping the fresh snow.

Lissandra looked up at him gratefully, then reached out with her telepathy. _Thanks for the save_, she spoke into his mind." I couldn't get to my weapon" came out seconds later, in a soothing contralto voice. Startlingly, the voice he heard seemed to be entirely different from the one he had heard in the temple on Ragol. As he stood staring at her, she continued. " I landed wrong as we teleported in, and I think I broke my ankle. I had the bad luck to be lying on my weapon belt." As she said this, her entire body shuddered, as if she was waking from a deep sleep. Stretching her arms out, she gingerly placed her hands on either side of her injured ankle. A murmured "Resta!" and a bright flash of energy later, and her ankle was good as new. Standing, she regarded her mute companion.

"What's wrong? Oh, my voice." Laughing, she pointed to the crown that framed the top of her slightly rounded face. "On Ragol, I was a conduit for one of the elders. They felt that me alone wouldn't be quite _impressive_ enough to persuade you, and they are all too fragile for gating, so they gave me a mindlink crown. I channeled the elder's message to you. Intergalactic telepathy isn't possible until a connection has been formed between the individuals. I was basically a human communicator. The spell disengaged when we teleported back, and I was unable to move my body for about thirty seconds. If it wasn't for you, I would've been that Dezo Mole's dinner. Thank you."

"Uh, no problem. So, are you okay now? No more paralysis, or anything?"

"Yes, I'm perfectly fine. We should probably get moving soon. I can explain things as we travel. Dezolian night comes on rather quickly, and though it's not that cold now..." She said, as Sage was obviously shivering with cold. Looking slightly bemused, she continued "It's going to get a lot colder. The town of Tyler's near here. We'll stay there tonight. Oh, and don't worry about the Gate. It will close soon on its own."

Not entirely believing that he could be colder than he currently was, he pulled his coat around him and began following his guide. Her white robes made her hard to see against the white background, and despite her slightly shorter height, she was walking rapidly. He struggled to keep up. A twenty minute walk had them within sight of the town of Tyler, and Sage was colder than he had ever imagined he could be. The exertion of the walk was making his lungs burn, but it had done nothing substantial to warm him.

Approaching the snow-mounded walls of Tyler, Lissandra turned to look at him. "We need to get you some more weather-appropriate clothing, then we're going to head to an inn. I for one am starving." The guard, stationed inside a snug-looking guard post, simple looked at Lissandra and waved them through the now-open gate.

With nightfall rapidly approaching, the denizens of Tyler were hurrying about their errands, or huddled inside the snug-looking dome shaped houses that made up the majority of the town. Heading towards a two-story building, Lissandra motioned for him to follow. Positioned over the top of the building was a crude iconic representation of a suit of armor and a shield.

About an hour later, Sage and Lissandra emerged from the armor shop. Sage was wearing a set of Dezolian clothing that was made of adaptable molecules. It would stretch to fit him, and would adapt it's properties to fit the environment he was in at the time. He hated robes on general principle, but at least he was warm. Leaving the shop, they headed to the local inn and booked a double room for the night.

After stowing their belongings, they headed down to the dining room for a late meal. At this hour, the room was sparsely populated.

"So, Lissandra... can you tell me what the hell's going on? I'm a bit confused. You said I could find the ability to defeat Zionus here, so why are we sitting here in a restaurant?"

"Well, we do have to eat. The journey to the Esper's Mansion is a long one, and traveling at night on Dezolis is a good way to die."

"Hmm.. alright. So, who exactly are you, what are the 'Espers', and how are you connected to Zionus? And how did Zio get that immense power, anyway? I thought X killed him long ago."

"First off, you should eat something. Gating is rather draining, and you can listen while you eat, instead of letting that excellent stew go to waste. Besides, if your mouth's full, it'll keep you from interrupting me with annoying questions that I'd get around to answering if you let me talk. Okay?" With that, Lissandra set a good example by taking a few huge bites of stew and bread, and washing it down with fragrant Dezolian ale.

"Alright, I am kind of hungry." Sage began eating, and for a few minutes, silence prevailed. The food was quite good, and did a good job of warming his insides after the trek through the snowy wilderness. After Lissandra had taken the edge off of her hunger, she began talking.

"I'll start with who 'I' am. I'm an Esper, one of a select group of people with special powers that were chosen by the Great Light to protect the universe against the Profound Darkness. The Darkness is the basis behind the entity that appeared on Ragol known as 'Dark Falz.' Both the Great Light and the Profound Darkness are entities that existed at the beginning of the universe. They battled for eons, alone, until the Great Light sealed away the Darkness. It then created the Algol solar system to act as a seal against the Darkness. The seal's power waned every thousand years, and luckily, protectors would arise every thousand years to seal it again. It was assumed that since the Great Light was the victor, and the Darkness was the loser in the original conflict, that the Great Light was more powerful. Since it seemed benign, creating planets and sealing away evil, the Great Light was worshiped as an agent of good. Recent events on Algol have made us question that hypothesis, however."

"Oh, you mean the part where Zio absorbed its power and began killing people? What ever could have given you that idea...?'

"Hush, and eat your food. It's getting cold. Anyway, after the last near-breaking of the seal, the leader of the Espers at the time, a man known as Rune, decided to try a different tactic. Rune, as the leader of the Espers, was able to access the knowledge and power of all the previous leaders, and had determined a pattern. The Darkness always seemed to return, and each time it was harder and harder to seal away. He was a member of the group that had sealed away the Darkness most recently, and wanted to find a better way to do things. So, he set about to try and summon the Great Light, hoping to obtain it's help in sealing away the Darkness, or at least strengthening the seal. Unfortunately for Rune, it did not go as planned."

Meanwhile, near the gate, a humanoid dressed in robes landed with a loud thud.

_Hmmm... I think this thing's broken. Anyway, I need to find Sage. Where'd he go?_

"Rune, wanting to break the cycle of rebirth, decided to summon the entity that had been capable of sealing away the Darkness originally, the Great Light. However, his attempt failed. After much deliberation, it was found that the Great Light could no longer be contacted from the Algol star system. So, a group was sent to the planet now known as Ragol, to attempt to summon the Great Light there."

"Why was Ragol chosen, again?"

"Because, it was relatively stable, uninhabited, and not i that /i far away. On their first attempt to summon the Great Light, the Darkness was attracted to Ragol, and with their manipulation of the dimensional barriers, was able to break free.

After a long battle, which claimed the life of Rune, the Espers that accompanied him were able to seal the Darkness on Ragol. Unknowingly, they had weakened the dimensional barriers around Ragol. It was now the point of 'least resistance' for the Darkness. Being unable to risk summoning the Great Light for fear of freeing the Darkness yet again, they set a contingency plan into effect.

If the Darkness was awakened, the plan they set into motion, known as the 'Path of the Nephilim' would be activated, and the Great Light would be summoned to cleanse the universe of the Darkness. When the crew of Pioneer 1 awoke Dark Falz, the physical manifestation of the Profound Darkness, they also opened up the 'Path of the Nephilim'. Zio discovered this fact, but for the longest time was unable to do anything about it."

"Didn't they put safeguards on it, or something?"

"Yes, but there was a way around them..."

"The safeguard was that someone with a pure heart must activate the Path by willingly sacrificing their own blood. Zio, being evil, was unable to do this. However, fate would soon intervene. After his defeat, he possessed a young boy that seemed to have another soul inside him. The boy was possessed by a being known as Sye that had died fighting Dark Falz. Screening himself from the Esper's magic by exploiting Sye's hold on the boy, he proceeded to use the boy's blood to activate the path. Zio, being stronger willed than the child or Sye, was able to take over his body and summon the Great Light. He usurped the power that was flooding through the temple, and used it to restore his body."

"What happened to the kid, or Sye, or whoever it is?"

"The 'kid' as you so eloquently put it, _is _Sye. He was reincarnated, but before he regained full knowledge of himself, Zio took over. It is likely the power flooding through the temple restored Sye to his original state as well."

"So would killing Sye kill Zionus?"

"No, it wouldn't. The link between them is almost completely non-existent now. Zio is completely tied to the power of the Great Light now. And that's a rather large problem. You will be informed of more tomorrow, at the Esper's Mansion. I'm tired, so I'm going to bed. Our beds are upstairs."

"Alright, then."

With that, Sage followed Lissandra up to their adjacent rooms. Opening the door to his private room, he looked around. It was plainly furnished, dominated by an enormous bed piled with thick coverings. _Wow, I think I might actually be warm today after all. _Divesting himself of his robes and gear, he slid into bed clothed in the adaptive Dezolian bodysuit. Sensing the change in temperature, it changed to a lighter makeup. His dreams were not untroubled, however...

Meanwhile, Brom is slowly making his way towards a town that his sensors can barely make out in the distance.

As Brom trudges along, his hobo robes get coated with snow, and begin to slow him down greatly. Stopping to extricate himself from his sodden covering, he hears a faint squawking cry. Whirling, he draws his Imperial Pick, only to find a stout, innocent looking penguin behind him. Scanning the area, he finds why it's squawking in fear. Ten hulking creatures are approaching it, with upraised claws. With Brom's superhuman fighting ability, it's a matter of seconds before the Dezo moles are reduced to headless and limbless corpses.

Sheathing his weapon, his sensors detect two heat sources approaching him. Re-covering his more obviously android parts with the robes, he is startled to see a child and an adult human coming towards him.

"Morty! Why'd you run away?" the child began, running rapidly towards the rotund blue creature with the big eyes.

The adult, which seemed to be a slightly larger version of the small blonde child, put a hand on her smaller companion's shoulder. She had obviously seen the Dezo Mole's corpses.

Readying his hidden daggers, he calculated how quickly he could silence the new arrivals. He was saved from having to go on another killing spree when the girl exclaimed "You saved Morty! Thanks, mister!" Before he could move, the child had thrown her arms around the highest part of his body she could reach, his waist. Stepping closer, the woman spoke. "Thank you for saving our penguin, Morty. You must be freezing. Why won't you come back to Tyler with us, and get warmed up...?"

"Please, mister?"

Brom, sensing defeat, complied." Sure. Thanks for the invite" he said in a coolly even, synthesized voice. Finding Sage would likely be easier with the aid of the populace, anyway. The penguin was following him closely, and as he raised a leg to kick it away, the child looked up at him and said" Wow, Mister! Morty seems to really like you. I hope you can stay for awhile, so Morty can have a new friend."

_Wonderful, Brom thought. I'm surrounded by an overgrown chicken, a snot-nosed brat and a bimbo. Hopefully I can find Sage soon, and get off this iceball. The boss is really gonna owe me for this one..._

Inside Sage's room, he's tossing and turning violently, occasionally crying out in his sleep. "No! Dante... I tried to stop you... Eriror... you'll pay for this!"

_Sage is standing next to a teleporter, talking animatedly to some other hunters. It is apparently a few years previously. He's not as thin, and his light reddish-blond hair is a bit more neatly parted. He's wearing the tan battle robes he so despises these days._

_"Nova, I don't think this is a good idea. Bounties for monster corpses are one thing, but this one seems more dangerous than usual," he says to the tall Ramar dressed in black._

_"Relax, Sage. It's nothing we can't handle. Well, nothing the Dreamchasers can't handle. I'd be more worried about yourself, Dante and Eriror. They don't seem to be working as well as they usually do."_

_A younger Axios spoke up: "What, are you afraid Dante and Eriror won't be able to back you up this time? You seem to be the only thing keeping them alive sometimes."_

_Kiara, fiddling with her ponytail, flicked it over her shoulder." Well, I think the problem isn't that they're incompetent. They're just constantly at each other's throats lately. Why is that? Is something wrong?"_

_Sage, looking distinctly uncomfortable, replies: "Yeah, they're constantly fighting. It seems as if they are trying to outdo each other even more than usual. I think it has something to do with Jessie..." He stopped speaking, as his telepathy picked up the familiar thought patterns of his two friends._

_Dante, sauntering along with his usual smug look on his face, was trading jibes with Eriror. Dressed in similar black Humar battle-suits, they looked almost identical. The only distinguishing features were Eriror's white hair as opposed to Dante's black hair. Physically, their builds were strikingly similar. Tall, athletic and fit, most of the female hunters on Pioneer 2 fancied a relationship with them.It was one in particular that was causing the current trouble._

_"Hey Eriror, 5000 meseta says I get more kills on this run than you."_

_"You're on, Dante. We're racing against the Dreamchasers too, so..." As he approached the group of four hunters, he stopped._

_"Eriror, we're supposed to be working with them. This is a more dangerous outing than usual." Sage said, looking at his two friends with a scowl on his face. Their behavior lately was rather reckless and irresponsible, and it was worrying him. Ever since Jessie had broken up with Eriror, he'd seemed determined to outclass Dante at every possible opportunity. Dante had greater natural ability, but Eriror trained like a madman._

_Smiling, Nova replied:" Relax, Sage. You worry too much. This should be a cakewalk... We're going to split up, and wipe out all the monsters we see in this area. A few more cleanup missions and this portion of Ragol should be able to be settled." Turning as a unit, the Dreamchasers went through the teleporter, followed closely by Sage's group._

_The two groups of hunters split up, and went their separate ways. The task before them was to clear a section of forest of monsters. Nova's group, the Dreamchasers, began rapidly plowing through the herd of Bartles they came across.  
Nova was dodging attacks left and right, blasting the huge turtles with his Yasminkov mechs. Kiara was darting to and fro, slashing gracefully with her twin Kamuis. Axios, after boosting his teammates with Shifta, and lowering the defensive abilities of the herd with Zalure, began chain-casting Gifoie. As the clumsy beasts attempted to come towards him, he cut the few survivors of the flames down with several swings of his trusty twin-saber, Rokujou._

_Sage's group was having a bit harder time. They had came across a clearing that was filled with Hidelts and Gulguses. Dante, drawing his Zanba, charged the lead Hidelt and cleaved it in two with one massive swing. Sage was able to blast the first Gulgus that leaped at his unprotected back with his Red Hangun, and Eriror disemboweled the remaining brave one with his replica of the Flowen's Sword.Sage ran towards his teammates as the carnage ended, casting the supportive techs that they had outran in their zeal for slaughter._

_"What was up with that, you two? These aren't those stupid Bartles. They're smarter than that. We need to stick together!"_

_"Ah, shut up Sage! I'm tired of your babysitting. Let's go, Dante. Leave the worrywart here. We don't need him, anyway..."_

_Quickening their pace, the two hunters rapidly outstripped the panting Force. He'd twisted his bad knee, and walking was agony.Resta healed the fresh damage, but the underlying problem still persisted. After about ten minutes, he had to give in and draw his Staff. Leaning against it for support, he reached out with his senses, trying to find his friends.To his shock and dismay; he could feel a murderous anger coming off of them._

_Meanwhile, a trail of monster bodies led to a large clearing, where the Dreamchasers discovered Dante and Eriror in the middle of a shouting match._

_"I'm tired of you always showing off, Eriror! You almost got us killed. You provoked that Hildetorr to Megid, just so you could be cool and deflect it. If you weren't so busy showing off, I wouldn't have had to save you from the other one!'_

_"And I saved your ass from the third one! You're the show off! At least I can **kill **what I hit!"_

_"Oh really, you think so? Well how about trying your vaunted 'skill' on something that can actually fight back! Duel me, !"_

_"Alright then, let's go. I've wanted to wipe that smirk off your face for a long time. You have no right to wield that Zanba..."_

_This testosterone overload was interrupted by Kiara. "What are you two doing, and where's Sage?"_

_"We left his whiny ass behind. He was slowing us down, with his tactics' and strategy. It got annoying, and we didn't need him..." Dante said, taking his battle stance." Now, I'm gonna beat down Eriror, and prove I'm better than he is."_

_"Yeah, right, Kiara. I'm gonna slaughter Dante. Why don't you go look for Sage, if you're so worried?"_

_"Hey, Nova... whispering we might not want to let this happen. Sage's gonna be pissed," Axios whispered._

_"If it's a fair fight, we can't really stop them."_

_"Alright then, should I make popcorn?"_

Inside Sage's bedroom, the bed coverings have been thrown off. He's tossing and turning, looking the part of the nightmare he's having. However, when psychics are under severe mental stress, it affects their surroundings. Both people and objects. About twenty feet away, in the next room, Lissandra is awakened from a fairly light sleep. Nervous about the coming conflict with Zionus, and her ability to help, she wasn't sleeping well.

Sage's mental turmoil was like a psychic slap in the face, yanking her back to consciousness. Her psychic abilities, while not as developed as his, were still fairly sensitive. And anyone with any type of sensitivity at all would be able to feel this for miles around.

Worried, she considered getting up. Realizing how cold it would be, and knowing that awakening him in the middle of the nightmare would not allow the underlying issue to be addressed, she decided to stay in bed and wait it out.

Brom had trudged back to town with Morty, Sana (the kid) and Nichole (adult). They were a penguin-raising family, and lived alone. They were sisters. Failing to find Sage at first, he decided to turn in for the night, taking the bed that Nichole offered him with a forced politeness. Morty was still following him incessantly. Wondering how he could somehow outfit his new stalker with weaponry to act as a sneak attack platform, he powered himself down for the night.

Back to the nightmares of our half-protagonist...

_Dante and Eriror are standing in a clearing, surrounded by the expectant Dreamwatchers. Nova is watching with an intent look on his face. This has been building for a while, and he hopes their conflict will end after this. Axios has a small smirk on his face, and is mentally putting odds on who will win. Kiara is worried, sure that this isn't a good idea, and already wishing Sage was here to stop it._

_Sage is stumbling through dense foliage, hoping against hope that he can arrive in time to stop the imminent battle between his two best friends. He always seems to end up being the peacekeeper; the stable, responsible one. Inwardly, he has doubts about his ability to do this, but Eriror and Dante don't seem to mind. Lately, even he has been unable to defuse the tension that has been building between them. It's gotten so bad on some occasions that he's been tempted to use his powers on them, to try and calm them down. That goes against his rather strict code of ethics, however, and he's resisted the temptation thus far.The hate that has begun growing between them would inevitably reach a breaking point, and the thought that it might happen today sends cold fingers of fear down his spine._

_Reaching out with his powers, he brushes against Dante and Eriror's minds. They are both furious, consumed with hatred and self-righteousness. It's beyond his abilities to try and mentally stop them from the distance he's at, but at this point he's willing to try. Deciding on a different tactic, he reaches out to Nova, instead. Although relatively dormant, Nova has psychic abilities as well. That, and the fact that he's always so calm make it easy to converse, even with Sage's mind as clouded as it is at the moment._

_'Nova, what's going on?'_

_'Dante and Eriror have reached their breaking point. I'll keep it from becoming lethal, but I can't stop them from fighting. Let them duke it out, it might do some good. I don't think they actually want to hurt each other.'_

_'Nova, you don't understand, they're in a killing rage! If I had the strength, I'd teleport there. I'm too drained. They took off, and attracted a pack of Tollaw to me. I wasted time fighting them off by myself, and it was rather draining. Just keep them both alive til I get there, please?!'_

_'Okay, relax. They're my friends too, remember? I won't let them kill each other...'_

_'Thanks, Nova.'_

_Sage broke the mindlink, and quickened his pace. He should be there in a few minutes. Hopefully Nova can keep them from killing each other._

_"Dante, Eriror... seriously, "Nova spoke up. "You two are friends, why do you need to fight? More importantly, why do you want to fight with your actual combat blades? Someone could be seriously hurt. Put the swords down, at least!"_

_"Oh, been talking to our 'babysitter', again?" Eriror exclaimed. "You had the funny blank look on your face. I wish Sage would stop treating us like we're incompetent children!"_

_"Yeah, Nova. Besides, it's not like Eriror can actually hurt me. This'll be over in a second or two." Dante said, taking a wide legged stance and bracing himself._

_Kiara chose this moment to speak up." Sage treats you like children because you act like damned children! You are irresponsible, hot-headed and unable to plan anything! Without him, you two would never made it as hunters. I'm surprised you could even figure out which end of the sword to hold."_

_"Shut up, Kiara. You just want us. And yeah, Sage is helpful. He just bores us with his 'planning' and 'thinking things through.' We don't need plans. We're stronger than he is..."Eriror said, taking a similar stance to Dante's, with his Mick-made Flowen's sword held high above his head._

_Kiara, greatly affronted, just crosses her arms and scowls. "On your heads be it, then. Maybe if you actually have to deal with the consequences of your actions without him watching your backs, you might learn."_

_Axios, laughing, turned to Kiara. "Heh, all this time, I wondered why you were so 'appreciative' of these two. You always wanted us to team up with them I figured it out. You have a sword fetish. The stupider they are, the less they talk, and the more you like it. They're guys in tight bodysuits with big, phallic weapons. You probably wet yourself in anticipation every time we go on a mission with them. "He narrowly dodged the punch she threw at his nose, laughing all the while."C'mon guys, this should be fun. I could make popcorn..."_

With a look of pure loathing on his face, Dante spoke. "Eriror, let's do this. I want to take you down before Sage gets here to yell at me."

"Alright, then. If you miss your date with the Reaper that much, then bring it! I'll make sure you see her..."

"Like you could actually set up a date with anything. Even Jessie..."

"Sorry, Dante. I don't have a thing for skanky whores, like you. People with actual standards don't go for any Ramarl that wiggles their hips at them."

As a wise man once said, beating someone down is okay. Insulting their girl is the last straw, however. With an incoherent roar of pure rage, Dante rushed at Eriror, brandishing his mighty Zanba.

_Raising his sword to block, Eriror was momentarily taken by surprise. Dante was swinging at full force. They'd trained together since they were children, and knew each other's abilities intimately. Eriror could tell that Dante wasn't going to hold back. Bracing himself, he managed to barely parry the first blow. He realized that he'd gone too far. Dante was going to deserve the beating he was about to receive. He'd recently slacked off on his training, and despite his better weaponry, was probably not an even match. Sometimes, even experts are surprised, however..._

_Blocking the first upward swing, Eriror managed to push Dante's blade to the side, and went for a quick strike at his off-balance opponent. Astoundingly, Dante used the momentum of his blade being pushed away to fuel a rapid spinning slash at Eriror's face, swinging his sword over his shoulder and spinning on his heel. Eriror blocked, and responded with a rising slash that pushed Dante back._

_Snarling, their blades locked together inches away from the other's face, they were at a stalemate. Pushing on their intertwined blades, sparks flew from their weapons as each struggled to gain the upper hand in the contest. Eriror, channeling technique energy through his sword, briefly gained enough strength to push Dante away. A quick series of alternating horizontal swings from each combatant were blocked and countered, with neither gaining an advantage. The blades sang as each vented their hatred._

_Watching through Dark Nova's eyes, Sage could see the titanic clash unfolding. It was honestly frightening, seeing his two friends using all of their power on each other._

_Dante caught Eriror with a quick kick, preempting the kick that Eriror was about to try. Eriror stumbled backwards, but regained his footing quickly. Neither fighter had drawn blood, but the effort of swinging their massive weapons was starting to drain them quickly._

_Resolving to end the contest quickly, they stared at each other across the intervening few feet that separated them. Breathing heavily, surrounded by the enraptured Dreamchasers, a mutual decision was made, though neither knew it at the time. They were going to commit fully to this next attack, risking everything to end the fight._

_Both of their weapons allowed them to channel energy to increase the power of their attacks. Dante's sword, the Zanba, used life energy for this. It was stronger, but prolonged use of the special attack could be life-threatening. Eriror's sword, a replica of the legendary Flowen's sword, used technique energy for the process. It was a weaker weapon, but it's full potential could be used with much less risk._

_Regaining their breath, they seemed to mirror each other as they assumed the stance for their most powerful attack, each using a version of it. Readying themselves for the Cross Reaper, they raised their swords, grasping it with both hands as they put their left foot forward and leaned into a lower posture. The sword came to rest over the right shoulder of each. Like grotesque puppets dancing to the same master, they charge as one, using the momentum to ready a powerful downward diagonal slash, fueling their blades with their personal energy. _

_Colliding as one, there was a loud explosion, ending with a blinding flash of light that subsided as Sage entered the clearing. The results of the dual attacks were shocking. Sage was too late..._

In Sage's room, his sleep has gotten even more troubled, if that were possible. He's screaming in his sleep now. "No! Eriror, Dante, why...? I failed you both."

Lissandra, in the next room, hears his screams and decides to go check on him. The psychic interference he's putting off isn't going to let her sleep, anyway. Throwing a robe over her nightgown, she steps to the door that links their two rooms. Placing her hand on the door handle, she is surprisingly unable to open it. His telekinetic powers are keeping the room sealed. Sighing, she reaches out a questing tendril of though, searching for his troubled mind. As she reaches him, she links with his mind. Through the link, she's able to see what he's dreaming about. It's an invasion of privacy, but she has no choice. The unfettered power he's giving off could attract 'things' that would be best left alone.

She appears inside his dream, her astral form floating above a large clearing on a planet that's recognizable as Ragol. She sees a fairly short, slim Fomar with reddish-blond hair hurrying towards the clearing behind her. _Hmm... I suppose that's Sage. He looks younger, though. I wonder what the big problem is?_ Following him with her gaze, she turns as he rushes into the clearing, being momentarily blinded by a bright flash of light.

_Sage had finally made it to the site of the duel, catching up with his friends. Cursing his slowness, he hears two voices shout "Cross Reaper!" He runs into the clearing just as the bright flash of light from the colliding blades subsides._

_Striking at the same time, the empowered blades had met. Dante's swing was a split-second faster than Eriror's, and had caught Eriror's sword about a third of the way down it's blade. The Zanba's superior construction cleaved through Eriror's sword, shattering about a third of it off. The remainder of the blade completed it's swing, and hit what Eriror was aiming for. The shattered Flowen's Sword cleaved neatly through Dante's shoulder, severing his arm in a gout of spraying blood and a bright flash of released technique energy. His swing unbalanced by the loss of his arm, Dante cried out in agony as his sword hit the ground. As his swing was completely thrown off by Eriror's counter hit, the Zanba hit the ground with a loud thud, missing Eriror entirely. Dante released his grip on his sword, and dropped to his knees, screaming in pain as he automatically reached for the stump where his arm had been seconds before. He managed to cast a feeble Resta, slowing the flow of blood as he passed out._

_Eriror threw away his broken weapon with a look of triumph on his face. Bending down, he picked up Dante's Zanba, and raised it high above his head, preparing to finish off his downed opponent. "Now, Dante, you die! I'm the superior one!"_

_Suddenly, a series of gunshots rang out. Nova had drawn his Yasminkov's and opened fire on the Zanba. The force of the repetitive shots drove Eriror back, away from Dante's huddled body. "That's enough, Eriror! He's beaten. This fight is over, "Nova shouted._

_Just then, Sage ran into the clearing and witnessed the carnage before him. "Eriror, you...! What have you done?" Sage stood there, shocked and incredibly angry._

_Axios and Kiara, not as completely stunned, moved towards Dante, Axios' hands already glowing with a prepared Reverser technique. Unfortunately for them, Eriror had snapped. Brandishing the Zanba, he swung at them as they approached Dante's unconscious form. "No, he's mine! He deserves to die for his arrogance!" He then rushed Kiara and nailed her with the flat of his blade, knocking her to the ground, unconscious. Before Axios could move, he was kicked in the temple, and slumped as well._

Lissandra, observing all this from her astral vantage point, began to understand why he was so disturbed. From the thoughts she was picking up, he blamed himself for this debacle. Unable to do anything for fear of destroying his mind in the fragile state it was in, she resolved to sit and wait.

_Sage, seeing Eriror attack both Axios and Kiara, had reached his breaking point. "That's it! Eriror, this has to end NOW!!!" Reaching out his hand, he attempted to telekinetically yank the Zanba from Eriror's hands. Staggering slightly, Eriror regained his balance and unleashed a wave of technique energy, breaking Sage's hold._

_"Sorry, Sage. I'll deal with you in a second. I'm going to take out our trigger happy friend here, first." As he said this, Eriror charged at Dark Nova. Unwilling to use lethal force (since the weapons he had out were his Yasminkovs), Nova hesitated for a split second. That moment's hesitation was all Eriror needed, as he swung at Nova with all his might. Nova dodged the first swing, but was hit with Eriror's shoulder as he charged, knocking him to the ground and knocking his guns from his hands. He hit his head on a large rock, and as the loud crack his skull made echoed through the forest, he swiftly passed into unconsciousness._

_Wheeling about, Eriror turned towards Sage with a murderous gleam in his eyes. "Well, Mr. 'Leader'. Not so tough now, with your meat shields out of the way, are you? I wonder if they would even associate with you at all if you weren't constantly warping and twisting their minds."_

_"I'm not... I never did that! They're my friends..." Sage stuttered, clearly thrown off balance by Eriror's accusation._

_"Yeah, right. Like a telepath that's as manipulative and power hungry as you could ever have 'friends.' You've been using us this entire time. I'm just glad I figured it out..."_

_"Eriror, you're wrong! I don't want to have to hurt you..."_

_"As if you could! You're just as bad as your pathetic little 'friend' here, Dante. At least he had the honor to face me like a man. You've been manipulating me this entire time, haven't you!?"_

_"Eriror... after your encounter with Falz, you changed. The Principal asked me to keep an eye on you, and try to calm the murderous rage that swelled within you. All I did was keep you from giving in to your dark side. I NEVER made you do anything you didn't want to do. I can't. Your mind is too strong..."_

_"Liar! I wanted to kill again, to feel that rush of power... and you stopped me. You'll pay for that. Prepare to die, Jonas!" Eriror rushed at Sage, the Zanba raised high above his head. Sage, staggered by the loss of his friends and with a weakened knee, didn't seem to stand a chance against his onrushing opponent. His telepathy wouldn't work on him, Eriror was too strong for telekinesis, and he was too drained to use techniques..._

Lissandra, seeing the enraged Eriror charging Sage in his dream, almost forgot where she was. She made a move to help, but then realized that this was simply a flashback, and interfering would do more harm than good. Checking on Sage's thought patterns, she could sense that he would be awake soon. With a thought she dispelled the mind-link, and came back to her body. Pressing on the door handle, it turned easily, allowing her entry into Sage's room.

Inside Sage's dream, he was reliving the personal Ragnorak of his shattered career as a hunter.

_Eriror, his eyes filled with hatred, was stalking Sage through the clearing, the blood-dripping Zanba resembling the tooth of some prehistoric beast as he held it high over his head._

_"Sage, you know I had to kill my teammates. They were possessed by Falz! Yet the military made me out to be some kind of psycho, when I should've been lauded as a hero. No one believed me, though. Not even you, and you'd seen inside my head... you have to pay for your treachery!"_

_"Eriror, the problem wasn't with what you did, it was how you felt when you did it. You reveled in the violence, the feeling of power over other people. That's why I was assigned to watch you. You were too skilled to be locked up, not with the need for good hunters, and the powers that be felt that you could be kept from killing again." Sage said, as he dodged a wide swing from the Zanba. 'Perhaps if I can keep him talking, maybe I can figure a way out of this...'_

_Unfortunately for Sage, Eriror quickly caught on to his plan. "Sorry, Sage, but your mind tricks won't work on me. I have to kill you now, so no one can tell what really happened today. Then, when I make it back to Pioneer, I can tell the story of how I heroically fought off Dante after he went berserk. He was so arrogant, he thought he was better than everyone else, like the lives of other people didn't matter. When we confronted him, he snapped... I'll be a hero, and the world will be rid of him! But for that, you must die..."_

_"Eriror, you're insane. You need help..." Sage said, drawing his gun as he backed away from the enraged hunter._

_"No, Sage, I've never been saner. I realized how you were all using my power for your own ends. I won't be a pawn in your little game any longer!" With that, he charged, swinging the Zanba in lethal arcs. Sage, using his telepathy to read Eriror's thoughts and determine where he would strike, was temporarily able to dodge him. The effort was draining, and he couldn't keep it up for long._

_An outstretched root almost proved to be Sage's downfall. Backing away from Eriror, he stumbled on it, and started to fall backwards. "Oof!" Eriror took advantage of his unbalanced posture, and lunged forward, swinging the Zanba in a flat horizontal arc. The telekinetic shield Sage erected just saved his leg from being sheared off, but the impact of the weapon shattered his left leg, bending his knee towards his other leg._

_"Aaaah!!" He cried out in pain as he fell onto his back. Eriror walked towards him, blocking the few panicked shots that Sage sent at him through the haze of pain he was in._

_"This ends now, Sage... Goodbye!" Raising the Zanba over his prone foe, he prepared to strike. Sage was frozen in fear and out of options. 'I guess this is the end. Wish it had turned out differently.' A flurry of movement from behind Eriror caught his eye. The broken sword was no longer lying on the ground..._

_Closing his eyes,_ he awoke from his dream, drenched in a cold sweat. Lissandra was standing in the corner, a worried apparition in a pale gown. Sitting up, the emotion of the flashback overwhelmed him, and he broke down...

Sage sat up, drenched in a cold sweat, his skin clammy. The bedcovers were mostly thrown off the bed, and what remained was in total disarray. Pale moonlight filtering into the room lent a soft white glow to everything. His heart was pounding, and he began shaking. Not from the cold, but from the emotional reaction he was experiencing.

The dream had come back, after five years. After it had happened, he'd had flashbacks, of course. But the inexorable march of time had faded them, and made them much less frequent. Now, they were back with a vengeance. At least that meant that the final blocks on his powers were gone, and his full potential would be returning shortly. This would mean nothing if he could not regain control of himself, though. The shaking continued, as his body became racked with harsh sobs. He wasn't crying, he _wouldn't _cry... but trying to tell his body that was like speaking to a stone wall. Shaking with repressed tears, his hands clasped over his face in a futile attempt at regaining control, he failed to notice Lissandra in the corner until she spoke.

Tempted to try a mind touch, she refrained. Sage's psychic powers were on overload at this point, and it might be dangerous to try. When he started shaking and sobbing, she could remain silent no longer. This was the one chosen to save the universe from Zionus, but in this state he would be less than useless. If he lacked confidence in himself, he had no hope of becoming the heir to Lutz's power. _That's it, Liss. Tell yourself that you only care about the mission..._ She broke her silence with a question. "Sage... are you okay?"

"What... what are you doing in here?" His voice was as shaky as he was, and it sounded hoarse and weak, like a whispered statement from someone who doesn't want to speak, but feels compelled to avoid the deathly silence.

"I heard noise coming from the room, and it woke me. The psychic turmoil you were going through could have woken the dead. Well, the psychically gifted dead, anway."

"It was a nightmare... I'm fine now. You can leave."_ Was it really that bad? I need to center, and get myself under control. This could be dangerous._

Lissandra looked at him, moving closer so the moonlight spilling through the window could give her a better view. _He's lying. He just doesn't want me to see him like this._ "When you started lashing out with your powers, I mind linked to see what was going on. I was able to stop you from hurting anyone inadvertently, but I was also able to see your dream. Did that really happen?"

"Yes. Now that you've invaded my privacy, are you done yet?" He was starting to regain his strength, but was far from being under control. The anguish he felt at his failure rose up in him, and he had a sudden desire to break something. Wrestling himself back under control, he uncovered his face and looked at her.

"I... I'm sorry. Not just for looking at your dream, but for what happened in that dream. That was horrible, but you shouldn't blame yourself. If four highly skilled hunters couldn't stop him, what makes you think you should've been able to do it? Alone and wounded, no less. There's no way anyone could've done any better in that situation!"

"It was my **responsibility** to stop him, and I failed. Besides, it's none of your business. Please, leave me alone..."

"Well, since you want to be alone so badly, I'll leave. But you need to realize something. Failure isn't necessarily a bad thing. If you don't learn your limits, you will never learn your strengths. Only when you dwell on failure, and fail to learn from it, does it become a problem. If you can't trust yourself, then you won't be able to carry out your mission."

"You may want to find someone else. Everytime people's lives are entrusted to me, or when I try to lead, I fail. People die..."

"Yes, but without you there, they likely would've all died. And stop dwelling on the Zionus thing. He's got the power of a god, there's **nothing **you could have done. If you were a bad leader, then you and Lucca would have died as well. But you didn't. You're human, Sage. Just like the rest of us. You aren't perfect, and no one can or should reasonably expect you to be. Not even you... The elders picked you because you're the person who can get the job done. You're already worthy; you just have to accept it." Finishing her diatribe, she turned and began to leave.

"Lissandra... thank you."

"For talking sense into you? No problem. Now get some sleep. "She went back to her room, dwelling on the conversation she'd just had. _He's far too hard on himself. If he would loosen up, he'd be able to use a lot more of his power. Hopefully, the Elders can help him to see that._

The next morning, sunlight broke over the chilled surface of Dezolis. The planet gleamed like a diamond as it's snowy fields reflected the light. The glare was horrible, but anyone who could have seen it without going snowblind would have been at a loss for words to describe the sheer, desolate beauty. Sage and Lissandra were downstairs in the inn's dining area, taking in an early breakfast.

"Sage, are you doing alright? I know last night you probably didn't sleep well..."

"Yes, I'm fine. I just need some food. What are we doing today, again?"

"We're journeying to the Esper's Mansion, to meet with the Elders. They will explain more of the situation to you, and begin to prepare you for what you must do. The power to defeat Zionus is partly within you, and partly within the Esper's mansion. It's the Elder's and my job to unite those two halves."

"That sounds very cryptic, but I guess I can't argue. When are we leaving?"

"In two hours. We aren't walking this time, because it would take far too long. Camping on Dezolis is a death sentence, and we couldn't make it there on foot before night fell. We'll be taking a vehicle called the Ice Digger, and the owner will be ready to leave in two hours. So relax, and enjoy your breakfast." She set a good example by attacking her pancakes like they were her greatest enemy.

Sage munched on bread, and drank several cups of a strong, sweet stimulant tea to try and clear his head. His stomach was upset from the turmoil of last night, and the lack of sleep was making him sluggish. Worrying about how events on Ragol were unfolding, he resolved to try and make contact with someone that was there after breakfast to find out what was going on.

_I wonder who it should be, though? At this distance, I can't keep contact with anyone who's not psy-gifted. Hmm... ah, I've got it! Nova has a fairly weak receptive telepathic ability. He can't send messages to save his life, but he can receive them from a long distance. Besides, I know him well, and I haven't talked to him in a while. It'll be good to get back in touch... especially after last night. I need to hear some friendly thoughts._

Lissandra broke in on his internal monologue. "Are you going to finish your porridge?" Sage had mostly pushed his food around on his plate, nibbling on bread and eating a few sausages.

"Um, no. You can have it..."

"Thanks! The food at this place is wonderful, always has been. I eat here every chance I get."

"Ok, here. Is there somewhere I can go to be alone for a bit?"

"Not if you're planning on going back to sleep. But yes, the room upstairs should be fairly quiet. If I find out you went back to sleep, though... you're in for it,"she said, glaring at him with a mischievous gleam in her eye.

"Yes, ma'am" Sage said mockingly. He reacted instinctively when she threw her wadded up napkin at him, catching it in mid-air with his telekinesis before it made it a foot from her hand.

Staring at the hovering napkin, Sage's fears of the night before were realized. _I shouldn't have that kind of ability at such short notice. I'm hair-triggered again..._ He released his hold, and the napkin fell to the table. Luckily, the dining room was mostly deserted at this early hour, and no one saw the mysterious levitating napkin.

"If you weren't so afraid of your power, you'd both be able to control it better and use more of it. You have to learn to trust yourself..." Lissandra said, eyeing Sage and the hovering napkin intently.

"How did you know that I...?"

"Well, it's rather blatantly obvious. You're pale, and the expression on your face makes you look like you've just seen a ghost. And if your hand trembles any more, you're going to knock your mug off of the table. Relax, Sage. It'll do wonders for your peace of mind, and your control."

Sage let the napkin fall. "I'm going to go upstairs, now."

"Alright. Let me know if you need anything. I'll be down here."

"Ok" With that, Sage stood and left the table, heading to the stairwell in the corner of the room. After a very brief trip, he had returned to his room. He'd picked up the few things that his telekinetic temper tantrum had thrown into disarray, and briefly decided to make the bed. Dwelling more closely on it, he chose not to. _Heh, I'm sure what the inn staff will assume... yet it's far more comfortable like this. _Sitting on the bed, he braced his back against the headboard and stretched out his legs. His knee was aching again, like it always did after he had the nightmare, or when he exerted himself. It was 'phantom pain', the medics had said, yet it still ached abominably. Making himself comfortable, he stretched a questing tendril of thought out into the cosmos, searching for a familiar mind...

Elsewhere.

Ayame was standing at the edge of a cliff, overlooking the ocean outside Gal Da Val Island. A storm was coming in, and the slate grey clouds were rapidly gathering. It wasn't quite raining yet, but waves far below were beginning to crest. Thunder rumbled ominously in the distance, and a flash of lightning briefly lit the sky.

The wind was blowing her short purple hair, and tears were streaming down her face. Her black skirt and outfit were ripped in several places, and the shine of a fresh scar was on her cheek. Gazing at the two halves of the broken Summit Moon she was clutching in her hands, she fell to her knees, screaming a name into the stormy gray sky.

**"UNCLE X!!!!! WHY!!!!!!!!!!"** She screamed again, an incoherent burst of rage and sorrow mingling in the wind...

_Why did you join that bad man, Uncle X? He hurt Mister Sage, and killed Megatron. And now he's trying to take over the world... Why did you defend him? He's evil, but you're supposed to be a good guy. You saved me from him last time, but why weren't you there this time...? I need your help, Uncle._

Letting out a curse that she had picked up from her 'uncle', she flung the two halves of her broken weapon into the sea before slumping forward from her kneeling position, her hands pounding the smooth stone of the weatherbeaten cliff until they were bruised and raw.

She had barely escaped the wrath of a god, but had lost the only person she ever truly trusted in the bargain.

As she cried her heart out, the promised rain began to fall. The storm seemed to match the turmoil going on inside the young woman as she sobbed. She had never felt so alone...

Meanwhile, on Pioneer 2... Nova was outside his dwelling, running through his morning practice routine. He was hurling a Flight Cutter at targets that popped up, dodging the colored light beams they sent at him in response. Just as he landed the hit that "killed" the last target drone, he felt a familiar tingling in the back of his skull. He heard Sage's voice in his mind, as though it was a long ways away.

_Nova...? Can you hear me?_

_Sage, is that you?_

_Yes. I can't believe this actually worked! I'm on a distant planet right now. What's going on there?_

_Hold on a minute... weren't you supposed to be leading an investigation into some ruins, or something?_

_Yeah, I was. Have you heard about a guy named Zionus?_

_Yes. He's wreaking havoc, and spouting off like he has his own show._

_He came out of those ruins. Some weird lady popped up, and told me she knew how to beat him. I teleported with her to a strange planet, and I'm here now. I'm about to go meet with some 'Elder's ' to find out the whole story. What has Zionus done so far...?_

_Well, he's attacked the Principal, and brought Eriror over to his side. And he blew up the Hunter's Guild, attacked that Lab robot, and in general made a nuisance of himself._

_Great. I'm trying to find a way to stop him, but it's probably going to take a while. Look up Dante, and try to find that Sye kid. I think they'll both be helpful._

_Alright. I'll get in touch with them. Are you alright? You seem rather... unsettled._

_It's nothing. The flashbacks are returning, that's all._

_Sage, you know that's not your fault. There was nothing you could've done..._

Nova's thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of Axios. He was yawning, and looked to be half-asleep.

"Nova, we have a problem. Zionus has Eriror on his side, and now the Military's joining him. He's spouting off right now. You might wanna come and look at this."

"Ok, sure." Sage, you might want to stick around. This is going to get ugly.

Nova and Axios walked back into their shared apartment, and stared at the spectacle unfolding on their viewscreen.

Zionus' intimidating visage filled the screen.

**"People of Ragol. I am the avatar of the Great Light, the one who will cleanse the universe of the impure. I am salvation for those who follow me, and damnation for those who are foolish enough to oppose me."**

The camera pans behind him, where Eriror, X and Brom are kneeling reverently. Brom has been repaired, Eriror has the look of a fervent cult member, and X has the blank stare he has worn ever since his reappearance.

**"As you can see behind me, not all are self-centered, blind animals that vainly strive to resist my will. Some have seen my way, and have decided to gain salvation by following my truth. Those who continue to resist will be purged by my light. I am about to give a small... demonstration of my miracles, but one of my followers wish to give a testimony first. Eriror, speak of my truth!" **

Eriror stood, bowed solemnly to his master, and began to speak.

"I wish to testify of the glory of Zionus. I was confused before I saw his power. I was stumbling around in a blind haze, unsure of my purpose in life, lashing out wildly at those around me. But after meeting my master, and pledging my loyalty to him, I found the reason for my existence. I exist to carry out his will. To my troops... you are now under his command. Any that resist the will of our new master will be punished by his hand. Those who join willingly will not only be following their commander's orders, but the whims of the cosmos.Zionus is the ultimate power, and the original force for good. He is the divine power of the Great Light, brought to us in the form of a man to be our glorious savior. Zionus is the answer we have been searching for. Join him, or die. There is no other choice..." Eriror inclined his head, turned to bow at the feet of his new master, then rejoined X and Brom on the floor.

**People of Ragol. Now you see that your prime defender has seen the truth, and joined me. It is my will that you all do the same. Judgment will be harsh for those who do not. As a gift to the pure followers of the Light, I shall destroy that pit of filth known as Vega. Behold my glory, and tremble at my might!!!"**

_Sage... did you get all that?_

_Yes, Nova. It's worse than I feared. People are actually stupid enough to follow him. And he seems to have broken X's spirit... he looked like a lifeless doll. _

"Hey, Nova. You've got that look on your face again. Is it Sage?"

"Yes."

_Nova. With Eriror joining Zionus, we have a new problem. There's no one that can stand against him anymore, with the military gone. There aren't enough hunters left to fight off the military._

_The Dreamchasers can hold him until you get back. I'm sure there are many people who won't agree with that moron Eriror. I should have killed him years ago._

_I tend to agree. Get in touch with Lab, Dante and Sye. They'll be willing to help. I'll hurry, but I'm not exactly sure what it is I have to do. I'll keep in touch, but I have to break the link. I'm leaving soon._

_Very well, Sage. Be careful, and keep me appraised. We're going to need whatever miracle it is you pull off this time._

_Goodbye, Nova. _

Nova turned to Axios. "Sage is looking for a way to beat Zionus, but he's not sure how long it'll take. He suggested we find Dante, the robot from the guild and that kid that was reported missing in the ruins."

"Sounds good to me. If the military's stupid enough to listen to Eriror, we're gonna have a civil war on our hands. And no one's paying us this time..."

"Well, Resistances have never been easy. I'm not looking forward to fighting the military, but it seems we have no choice. If we let Zio run rampant, we may not live to see the end of it."

"So, where is Sage?"

"On another planet. Some chick warped him there."

"He never could do things the easy way, huh? His plans were always complicated, but they worked more often than he liked to admit. Except for the Eriror thing...'

"Let's wake up Kiara. We have work to do."

As he broke the mindlink with Nova, Sage was startled back into full awareness by the feeling of someone standing over him. Opening his eyes, he gazed up at Lissandra, who had been standing beside him for an unknown amount of time.

"If I couldn't feel the psychic energy you've just been giving off, I'd swear you were asleep. Lucky for you I'm psy-sensitive, or you would've gotten hurt. I told you not to go to sleep..." she said playfully, sitting down on the bed.

"How long have you been there?"

"About ten minutes. Apparently, there's a five-cup limit on the free refills of tea. They kicked me out of the dining room a little bit ago. Apparently to make way for some crazy thing called 'paying customers.' If the food wasn't so good here, I'd never put up with this savagery. Anyway... what were you doing? If you don't mind me asking, that is. And I remember Eriror and Nova from your dream."

"Is spying on me part of your job, or just a hobby? Between last night and now..."

Whatever he was about to say was cut off by a pillow to the face."I'm supposed to get you to the Elders 'in one piece.' They specified _nothing _about your comfort level. Keep this up, and you're riding on top of the Ice Digger," she threatened mockingly, punctuating 'supposed', 'piece', 'nothing' and 'comfort level' with further blows from the pillow.

"Alright, alright... I'll talk. Just stop...please! " he said, gasping with laughter as he vainly attempted to defend himself from her disturbingly accurate blows. _I really, really wouldn't want to make her mad_

"That's much better. Funny that the only smile I've seen on your face since we got here results from a severe beating. And after I bought you breakfast and everything..."

"Sorry."

"You need to loosen up. Being brooding and angsty all the time will get you nowhere. Being afraid to fail will always make you fail. You can dislike failure, but your fear of it is unhealthy. So, what were you going to tell me before I assaulted you?"

"I made contact with a accquaintance of mine on Ragol. His name's Dark Nova. He allowed me to watch one of Zionus latest 'announcements' through the mindlink. Eriror, a leader in Ragol's military, has joined Zionus, and it's looking as if the rest of the military will soon follow. Between the followers he's attracting and the members of the military that'll follow Eriror... he's going to have an army soon. We may not even be able to get to him to stop him. Not that stopping a god's going to be easy, but..."

"Stop worrying about it! There's nothing you can do about it right now, and the more you worry, the less you're going to be **able **to do. If you're doubting yourself all the time, then you won't be able to do what we brought you here to do. So relax... the Ice Digger's almost ready. We leave in ten minutes. Get your stuff together, okay?" Lissandra stood up, and headed towards the outer door of the room. She was stopped in her path by a question from Sage.

"What _am_ I supposed to do here? You said I could find the way to defeat Zionus... but how?" He said, with a puzzled look on his face.

"All will be explained when we arrive at the Esper's Mansion. The Elders will tell you what you need to know." Lissandra replied as she turned towards him.

"Alright, then. I don't want to get hit again, so I'll refrain from asking anymore questions. You're violent, you know that?" He said as he stood up. Luckily for him, the pillow was out of her immediate range.

"Yes, I know. I'm quite good at it, too. And if you stall any longer, you're going to find out what I can really do," she said, moving towards him with a mischievous gleam in her eye. "Remember, your comfort isn't exactly 'required..."

"You're almost as scary as Zionus. I'm coming. Don't worry."

Mere moments later, Lissandra and Sage were packed and ready to leave. As they exited the inn, early morning sunlight reflecting off of the snow lent an almost glazed appearance to everything. Two buildings down from the inn, a large vehicle with tank-like treads and a drill attached to the front was watched over by a fairly tall man in white robes.

Approaching the Ice Digger, Sage and Lissandra were hailed by the man."So, Esper-Lady, are you and your boyfriend ready to leave yet? You're paying me well, but it's still rather early."

Sage barely contained a laugh. He was helped in this by the sudden necessity of stopping Lissandra before she killed the man. Grabbing her by the shoulders, he whispered into her ear. "Relax... he might actually press charges if you assault him." Adding telepathically _"And we need him, remember?"_Lissandra slowed back to a walk, and her muscles untensed. Sage breathed a sigh of relief, and responded. "Yes sir, we're ready to leave."

"Ok, then." The man opened a door in the side of the vehicle, and waved them inside. "It's a might cramped, but it's a lot faster and warmer than walking."

"Thank you, sir." Lissandra managed, finally having gotten her temper under control. Sage and Lissandra got settled, and the driver disappeared behind a door in front of them, into a room that was presumably the cockpit.

"If you're all settled then, we're leaving." With a loud rumbling, the engine switched from its idle into a full purring roar. Looking out the window, Sage saw that the hangar they had been parked inside was receding. As the vehicle picked up speed and turned onto the main thoroughfare of the town, the walls of Tyler were soon left behind as well as they began their journey.

Lissandra reached out to Sage with a telepathic probe. He could feel the slight emotional tinge of her embarrassment as she spoke into his mind. _"Sorry about that..."_ she began.

_"Don't worry about it. I actually found it rather flattering, if you want to know the truth.'_

_"Yes, but... wait a minute. What?!"_

Lissandra broke the mindlink, her face as pink as the emotional tinge her telepathic link had given off mere seconds before.

"Like you always tell me... relax."

If she'd had a pillow, she'd have thrown it at him. Seeing that (luckily for Sage) she didn't have any handy non-lethal weapons, the trip to the Esper's Mansion was relatively peaceful.

Elsewhere...

Ayame is kneeling on a cliff overlooking the ocean near Gal Da Val Island. A furious storm is raging around her, but the emotional tempest inside her makes it seem insignificant in comparison. She thinks back to the events of the past few days.

_As Ayame teleported into the room, unnoticed by all, the first thing she saw was X disappearing in a flash of light. Stunned as she was by this, she was even more shocked when the shiny silver guy tried to kill Sage. Seeing the robot sacrifice himself to save Mr. Sage was the last straw, however._

_Raising her Summit Moon, she cast a massive fireball at Zionus' unprotected back. It hit him squarely, as his attention was elsewhere, and winded him. Ayame proceeded to follow up with every technique she had, blinded by rage as she poured arcane destruction onto him._

_"You big meanie!! Why'd you have to hurt Uncle X?!!? I'll make you pay!!!" Sobbing with rage and anguish, she loosed her full power, attempting to blast him into oblivion._

_Seeming to be staggered by the blasts she was throwing at him, Zionus hesitated.With but a word, he vanished, teleporting away to parts unknown._

_Ayame, seeing her prey escaping, decided to follow. Focusing on the energy he was putting out, she attempted to teleport to where he was. "Hinas!', and she was gone.  
-------------------------------------------------------------------------_

_That was how it all started. He was giving off energy like a glowlamp gives off light, but it was still rather difficult to follow him. Instead of one single teleportation, he was flitting around from place to place, never staying in one spot for long. After about an hour of this, he seemed to disappear. Straining her senses to the maximum, she was still unable to find him._

_She had given up, and gone home. She supposed she should have told Aunt Leah, but she couldn't bring herself to accept it. The next day, however... she sensed Zionus' energy again. Locking on to where it was coming from, she teleported._

_She appeared in a flash of light inside the Hunter's Guild. Zionus, apparently sensing her approach, disappeared, another person that she couldn't see disappearing into the flash of light with him.Looking behind the desk, she saw an android lying on his back, not moving. She hesitated briefly, wanting to help him. Getting the man that had hurt Uncle X was more important, she decided. Little did she know at the time that her "Uncle X" was still alive. Following Zionus' energy trail, she tracked him to a large building on Ragol._

The Central Dome. To her, it would soon become the place where her dreams died...


	4. Ghosts in the Mirror

Ayame is kneeling in the pouring rain. Her black and purple outfit is tattered, she's disheveled and there is a fresh scar running from the top of her left ear to near the left corner of her mouth.Her purple hair is mussed and dirty. Even if she wasn't loitering in a tropical storm, her face would be soaked with the bitter tears she's been crying for what seems like an eternity. Her beloved Summit Moon is in two pieces, by now resting on the sandy floor of the bay below her.

She has a splitting headache, but the empty feeling inside her is far more painful. More than just an energy-drain headache from the technique power she recently used up to save her life, it feels as if her head is splitting in half. And still, the feeling of betrayal and abandonment is far, far worse.

Thinking back, she recalls the events that led to this:

_She'd followed Zionus' energy to the surface of Ragol. Though the constant teleporting and scanning was stretching her to her limit, she had to persevere. He had hurt Uncle X, and he had to **pay **. If she'd thought about it, she would've realized what a novel feeling it was to 'hate' someone. It had never happened before, in her life. Some people were mean, and some people were nice. It had never occurred to her that in her career as a Force, she might have to hurt someone. Even when she was helping Uncle X, she'd never hurt anyone._

The dark rage that was flowing through her at the moment was entirely alien to her. If she hadn't been consumed by it, she would've been terrified. As it was, she wanted to hurt Zionus more than she'd ever wanted anything else. She had to make him pay... he needed to die. She'd heard Uncle X say something similar, but it never really connected in her mind that someone 'dying' could mean they were never coming back. In her mind, there was always Reverser, and the good guys always won.

Dying was an abstract concept to her, on a level with all those things that X told her "I'll tell you when you're older." She'd figured out some of the things he was keeping from her, and a large amount of them had to do with girls. The realization that X would no longer be around to tell her that stuff really drove home the fact that he was dead. There was no more coming back. No more Uncle X to protect her. The good guys weren't always going to find a way to win... With that delusion shattered, only one recourse was open to her. She realized in the very back of her mind that killing was wrong, yet at this point she didn't care. With full knowledge and acceptance of what she was planning to do, she teleported as close to Zionus' energy field as she could. Murder in her heart, she stared up at the massive Central Dome, looking for a way inside...

_Gazing at the massive Central Dome, she saw a crack in the wall. It seemed to be near where the teleporter to the Dragon's Lair was before Uncle X made the dragons extinct.Walking over to it,she saw that she might be able to squeeze inside. A pile of debris was clustered around the crack, and it looked as if something had weakened the wall, then hit it with a powerful blow. Regardless, Zionus was inside. Clambering over the debris, she slid through the crack into the darkened interior, Summit Moon at the ready._

It was dark inside, and the only light inside the narrow corridor came from the weak sunlight filtering through behind her. A dim glow was visible off to her right, at the end of the corridor. Stepping into the corridor, she followed the glow. The corridor ran straight for a bit, but as she walked, feeling along the walls, it began to turn towards the left, and the glow became brighter. Drawing nearer to the source, she turned the corner and gazed into a massive room.

From Uncle X's stories, this must have been where the dragon made it's lair. The flooring was mostly dirt, with a few chunks of metallic floor paneling strewn haphazardly around the room. A dim bank of lights gleamed far overhead, and Zionus was in the center of the room, glowing with ethereal silver light.

She briefly considered trying to sneak up on him, then thought better of it. He was in the middle of a large circular room, with no cover on this half of the room. The decking plates had been piled mostly on the other side of the room, and the few that remained where too small to provide any real cover. Checking her item capsules to be certain they were secure, she popped one of her last Trifluids. As the liquid cleared the fatigue from her mind, she considered her options. She could go back to Pioneer, restock on supplies and get someone from the Guild to go with her. What she saw next drove all thoughts of subtlety or tactics from her mind.

A figure approached from the opposite side of the room. He was tall, relatively slender, and seemed to have a gigantic sword strapped to his back. She couldn't see his face from her viewpoint, since the far side of the room was relatively dark. As he came towards the light given off by Zionus, his face was revealed. It was X! He was alive.

Casting Deband on herself, she dashed from her hiding place, straight towards Zionus. "Uncle X! You're alive!"

Zionus and X turned towards the rapidly approaching Force. **"X... kill the girl. I command it!" **

A flicker of apprehension washed over X's face, and he hesitated for a brief second. Zionus waved his hand, and a dim glow surrounded X. When Zionus' hand lowered, X's eyes had changed from their normal green to an icy blue color. Reaching a hand back to the nodachi sheathed at his back, he stepped towards Ayame, positioning himself between Ayame and Zionus, his face void of any human expression.

"Uncle X... what are you doing? He's a bad man..."

X drew his sword and took a battle stance, as Zionus replied. **"Your precious 'uncle' has been a thorn in my side for far too long, girl. I could annihilate you with a wave of my hand. But you managed to hurt me, so I'll give you the honor of being the first to die at the hands of my servant. X, destroy her!"**

Ayame stopped her run, and stared at X in shock. Now that they were both under the coverage of the lights, she looked at his face for the first time. It was X's face, but neither the expression or the eyes were anything like her beloved 'uncle'. This man was a stranger. He bore a slight resemblance to Ani, but didn't have the look of malice that Ani had always shown. This X was like a soulless puppet. And Zionus was the puppet master.

_Gazing at the massive Central Dome, she saw a crack in the wall. It seemed to be near where the teleporter to the Dragon's Lair was before Uncle X made the dragons extinct.Walking over to it,she saw that she might be able to squeeze inside. A pile of debris was clustered around the crack, and it looked as if something had weakened the wall, then hit it with a powerful blow. Regardless, Zionus was inside. Clambering over the debris, she slid through the crack into the darkened interior, Summit Moon at the ready._

It was dark inside, and the only light inside the narrow corridor came from the weak sunlight filtering through behind her. A dim glow was visible off to her right, at the end of the corridor. Stepping into the corridor, she followed the glow. The corridor ran straight for a bit, but as she walked, feeling along the walls, it began to turn towards the left, and the glow became brighter. Drawing nearer to the source, she turned the corner and gazed into a massive room.

From Uncle X's stories, this must have been where the dragon made it's lair. The flooring was mostly dirt, with a few chunks of metallic floor paneling strewn haphazardly around the room. A dim bank of lights gleamed far overhead, and Zionus was in the center of the room, glowing with ethereal silver light.

She briefly considered trying to sneak up on him, then thought better of it. He was in the middle of a large circular room, with no cover on this half of the room. The decking plates had been piled mostly on the other side of the room, and the few that remained where too small to provide any real cover. Checking her item capsules to be certain they were secure, she popped one of her last Trifluids. As the liquid cleared the fatigue from her mind, she considered her options. She could go back to Pioneer, restock on supplies and get someone from the Guild to go with her. What she saw next drove all thoughts of subtlety or tactics from her mind.

A figure approached from the opposite side of the room. He was tall, relatively slender, and seemed to have a gigantic sword strapped to his back. She couldn't see his face from her viewpoint, since the far side of the room was relatively dark. As he came towards the light given off by Zionus, his face was revealed. It was X! He was alive.

Casting Deband on herself, she dashed from her hiding place, straight towards Zionus. "Uncle X! You're alive!"

Zionus and X turned towards the rapidly approaching Force. **"X... kill the girl. I command it!" **

A flicker of apprehension washed over X's face, and he hesitated for a brief second. Zionus waved his hand, and a dim glow surrounded X. When Zionus' hand lowered, X's eyes had changed from their normal green to an icy blue color. Reaching a hand back to the nodachi sheathed at his back, he stepped towards Ayame, positioning himself between Ayame and Zionus, his face void of any human expression.

"Uncle X... what are you doing? He's a bad man..."

X drew his sword and took a battle stance, as Zionus replied. **"Your precious 'uncle' has been a thorn in my side for far too long, girl. I could annihilate you with a wave of my hand. But you managed to hurt me, so I'll give you the honor of being the first to die at the hands of my servant. X, destroy her!"**

Ayame stopped her run, and stared at X in shock. Now that they were both under the coverage of the lights, she looked at his face for the first time. It was X's face, but neither the expression or the eyes were anything like her beloved 'uncle'. This man was a stranger. He bore a slight resemblance to Ani, but didn't have the look of malice that Ani had always shown. This X was like a soulless puppet. And Zionus was the puppet master.

It had been her worst nightmare, given form. Fighting her uncle was something she never expected to have to do. She had barely escaped with her life.

_Zionus backed away from X, beginning to hover. **Kill her X, and prove my control over you is absolute. I expect a good show, but don't let her live for too long. I have other plans for my loyal servant to carry out."** With a smug smile on his face, the insane demi-god floated off to the dark corner of the room, and sat on a throne that had been hidden by the shadows. With a wave of his hand, he flooded the room with light from torches behind him that sprang into existence at his command._

X held his Tsumikiri J-Sword with both hands, gripped over his head. His arms were bent, with the point of the blade pointing towards Ayame. Without a word, he charged her, swinging the sword in a long diagonal slash as he came within range. Ayame barely managed to back away in time, astonished at his speed, but absolutely shocked by the fact that he was attacking her. 'That's not his sword', she thought to herself. That's a sword that I saw some of the people on Vega use. Well, before Uncle X told me I couldn't practice there anymore. I can't believe he's doing what that big meanie tells him. I'm going to have to stop him for a little while, if I can. Then I can get through to him, and show him that it's me.'

_Resolving to at least temporarily slow him down, she began casting a Jellen technique on him as she turned to run away. The technique went off as she'd gotten a few feet away, but when he leaped at her in another furious slash, it didn't seem to have done much good. 'He's so fast. He makes Delsabers seem slow...' Dodging another slash, she raised her Summit Moon. 'I don't want to hurt him, but I need to stop him from trying to hit me so I can talk to him...' She cast a Foie technique as he leaped again. The massive fireball caught him in the chest, and stopped him mid-leap. He fell to the ground, and one hand went to his chest, a large scorch mark apparent on his battle suit."Oh no... I hope I didn't hurt him!'_

Ayame then made the grievous error of running towards the kneeling X. Her emotions getting the best of her, she made it to within about ten feet of him before he sprang up, leaping into a Ryuenjin technique. The flaming blade barely missed her, but the heat that scorched her face was unmistakable. 'He's actually trying to hurt me. He's listening to the bad man. Why?! I'm going to have to hurt him, at least a little. I don't think I can talk him out of this one.' Using one of the techniques mister Sage had taught her, she opened her mind. She had telepathic powers, and Sage had been teaching her how to use them. One of the most useful had been how to read an opponent's mind, and determine what they were going to do.

Scanning X's mind, she was shocked. It was like a blank wall had been thrown in front of her. Even when Sage had put up his barrier,there had been a sense of 'something' being hidden. X's mind was a total blank. She felt a sharp pain in her temples that caused her to stagger and fall to her knees. Zionus' voice rang through her head, each word burning. **"Well, it seems we have another telepath. X's mind is blocked, little girl. I own it, and control it. That is how I control him. And your teacher didn't teach you very well, because you aren't able to watch what you're doing while you use your powers. Prepare to die.'**

Released from the horrible mental grasp that had burned as it held her petrified, she came back to full awareness. She'd been running when she initiated the mindtouch, but now she was on the ground. Her head felt as if it was burning. Looking up, she saw X running at her full speed. 'I can't beat him. He's too fast, and too strong. I'm going to die...'

As this horrible realization hit her, X leaped into the air. Raising his blade, he came down with a terrific force on the unbalanced Ayame, who had just now managed to stand. Raising her Summit Moon in a frantic attempt to ward off the blade, she felt it give and the blade pass through. Seconds later, she felt a horrible searing pain along her left cheek. "Aaah!" She screamed, as the warm blood began trickling down. She fell back, and closed her eyes, waiting for the inevitable follow up slash.'I'm sorry, Uncle X. I couldn't save you.'

_Opening her eyes, and looking up, she saw X poised over her, blade held high. Her cheek was bleeding profusely, but she wondered why she wasn't dead. His entire body was trembling. She backed away and got to her feet, casting Resta on herself to heal her wound. The blood flow stopped, but the fact that her cheek was still painful was an indication of how drained she was. Looking at X, she saw an incredible amount of turmoil on his face. He seemed to be struggling against himself, fighting for control._

"Blast...me." He managed to whisper, through gritted teeth. His eyes were their normal green. "I was able to stop the swing, but I'm losing control. Blast me, and get out of here, before he notices. Now!'

"But, what about you?"

"He's too strong for me to resist. Find Sage... he can help you. Don't worry about me. And...I'm sorry."

Zionus noticed something was amiss. He hadn't been watching X's mind, because watching him kill when you knew what he was going to do next was boring. As he entered X's mind, he could see that the dominant personality had regained control. He would have to fix this...

Before Zionus could wipe X's mind again, Ayame had unleashed several techs. The Foie she cast knocked him down, and the Rabarta that followed froze him solid. Turning to run, she said "I'm sorry, too," as she bolted for the door.

Zionus' servant was rendered immobile, and that arrogant little girl was getting away. He gathered power and began blasting at her. **Why won't anyone die!?! **he thought, as he unleashed a furious wave of small energy blasts. With her speed, they missed. A Rafoie technique at this range wouldn't kill her, but it might slow her enough for him to catch her. He was still new to his powers, and the energy he'd been using to keep X under control still came with great difficulty. If he'd had a few more hours to get used to his abilities, Ayame would have died. As it was, the massive explosion centered on her and went off, causing her to stumble.

An incredible wave of heat washed over her, and a thousand small fires seemed to be dancing on her skin. She only had to make it outside, and she could teleport away. Survival was uppermost in her mind as she sprinted to the corridor. She made herself ignore the burns and bruises she was receiving, willing herself to continue.

At last, she'd made it outside. Teleporting away, she didn't notice the massive beam of energy Zionus unleashed in his rage. Half of the Central Dome was now dust. X was kneeling in the center of the large room, Zionus' control fully reasserted. The brief rebellion he had managed saved Ayame's life, but he had no real way of fighting back anymore. It had been too draining. Hopefully, Ayame could find help, or at least escape Zionus' wrath. That was the last thought X had, as Zionus' incessant mental grip crushed the last glimmers of free will from his mind.

Ayame was brought back to the present by the sound of seagulls. The storm had passed, and the sun was slowly beginning to peek through the clouds. She was shivering, soaked through, and hungry. Thinking about things more closely, she felt slightly better. X hadn't betrayed her, but she still felt so alone. Standing, she teleported back to Pioneer. She had to talk to Leah.

Pondering the events as she disappeared into a telepipe, she wondered what was going to happen now. _I guess I'm not a kid anymore. For once, I have to help Uncle X. Hmm...it doesn't feel right to call him 'Uncle' anymore. I have to help X..._

Brom's systems restarted abruptly. He was laying on a lumpy bed, covered by a shabby blanket. Throwing off the coverings, he got to his feet. His chronometer showed that it was about an hour after the Dezolian dawn. _I need to try and find Sage. However, walking through the snow damaged my joints. If I hadn't shut down and let the auto-repair subroutines do their work, I'd hardly be able to move. Oh well, he can't have gotten that far._ Moving silently, he approached the door of the room he was housed in. As he reached for it, his sensors picked up the soft sounds of a human sobbing.

Brom opened the door, and stepped outside. He was in a small, shabbily furnished central living area. A crude wooden door led outside, and another door was slightly ajar. The small human girl, Sana was crouched next to a Dezo Penguin in the corner of the room, hugging the creature's non-existent neck and sobbing. Stepping closer to the pair, he recognized the penguin as 'Morty', the penguin he had saved the night before, by the large white marking on its chest.

"Sana, are you..." _damaged? Is that the proper term of address? No, wait...it's are you alright? That works..._ "alright?"

As the unkempt urchin looked up at him, she wiped her running nose with her sleeve. _Grossly unsanitary. No wonder these humans have finite life spans..._ Brom thought.

"I'm okay, mister. It's just that... I had a nightmare. I dreamt that bad men came and took Morty."

_Hmm...the human psyche is so fragile. Even when attempting to clear their minds of rubbish, they hurt themselves._"Well, it was just a dream, correct? Do not trouble yourself about it. Dreams are dreams, and reality is reality. You would do well to not forget that distinction."

"Yeah mister, I guess you're right. Dreams can't hurt me or Morty, so I shouldn't worry about them."She said brightly. "What are you doing up so early? Did I wake you up?"

"No, girl. I have to find someone, and I wanted to make an early start of it. I thank you for the hospitality, but I really must be going."

"Don't you want some breakfast? It's not warm enough outside to travel yet."

Brom pondered for a moment. If walking through the frigid temperatures last night had damaged him, tempting fate again today would not be a good idea. Sage would likely be difficult to apprehend, so being in a weakened state when he found him would not be exactly wise.

"Very well. I shall stay here for a while longer, at least until the temperature outside has increased."  
Meanwhile, Sage and Lissandra are on the final leg of their journey to the Esper's Mansion...

The Ice Digger approached the large, pure white building slowly. It had made fairly good time, and there were no unexpected complications. Sage and Lissandra were talking inside when the vehicle came to an abrupt halt.

"So, Lissandra...what exactly am I going to have to do?"

"I've already told you what I can tell you. The Elders will have to explain the rest. I can aid you in the trials, but you're going to have to do most of it yourself."

"You say trials. Does that mean there're some tests I have to pass? I thought you said they 'chose me because I was worthy', or something like that."

"Yes, well...the Elders chose you, but you must prove that you are worthy to Rune himself before you can harness his power."

"I thought you said this Rune guy was dead?"

"He is, but his will, memories and power are contained inside the Circlet of Lutz. It's stored inside. Ah, we're here!

The Ice Digger came to a halt outside a large, ornately beautiful building. Lissandra and Sage disembarked, and thanked the driver. Approaching the door, they were hailed by a fairly tall, dark-haired man in armor and a dark gray hooded cloak. He carried what looked to be two silvery handles in holsters on his belt, and had a solemn-looking face. When he looked at them, a smile broke through the stiff facade.

"Honored Sister Lissandra! We were eagerly awaiting your return. Is this the chosen one of Lutz?"

"Yes, Yokote, it is. Are the Elders in Council right now, or can they meet with Sage here?"

"Yes, milady. They instructed me to bring you to them as soon as you arrived."

"Very well, then. Yokote, I'd like to introduce you to Jonas Sage. He was on Ragol when Zio usurped the power of the Great Light. Sage, this is Yokote. He's one of the 'Guardians' of the Espers. "

Yokote bowed, then shook the hand that Sage extended. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Sage. The fact that you survived against Zionus is a sure proof of your mettle.'

Sage shook his hand. "Uh, nice to meet you, Yokote. Should we go inside, or what?"

"Ah yes, certainly. Right this way."

Sage and Lissandra followed Yokote through the massive double doors, past a pair of stone-faced sentries dressed in the same white robes as Lissandra, and wielding Partisans.

Outside the Esper's Mansion, the owner of the Ice Digger began to make his way back to Tyler. It was only about a two hour round trip in the digger, but it would've taken several days on foot. _I hope I can pick up another fare before lunch. That strange lady and her boyfriend paid fairly well. I'm glad I found this thing...it sure beats penguin raising income-wise._Little did he know that danger awaited him on his formerly tranquil path homeward.

Closer to Tyler, a group of bandits were lurking in their cave hideout. "Yo, boss!" one of the unkempt dregs of society said. "When are we gonna go after Tyler? It's filled with a lotta good loot, and the Esper's haven't been doing their usual patrols lately."

"We're waiting until that farmer with the Digger-thing gets back. He left this morning. If we have to break that thing to take it, I don't want to have to drag it a long ways to fix it. It'll really help on raids. I don't want the smoke from the village to alert that penguin-farming idiot. He should've sold it to us... he doesn't know how big of a mistake he made."

Meanwhile, inside the lair of Ragol's newest military leader, Zionus is lounging on a throne as he listens to Eriror's report.

Bowing humbly, Eriror began. "My lord, 80 of the military have seen the truth of your path, and have begged for your salvation. Mostly it's the elites and the officers. About half of your new followers are drawn from the ranks of the average troops. The rest are the majority of the upper echelon. It seems that the common soldier lacks the wisdom to see your true glory. If the military still holds their foolish aspiration of opposing us, their force will consist of the bottom of the barrel."

**"What of the common people? I would not expect them all to see my way as the only path to salvation, but I would hope at least some would be pious enough to pay homage to me."**

"Yes, my lord. The commoners seem confused and anxious, like the pathetic sheep they are. Your miracle of cleansing at Vega seemed to convert some of them, but the rest are frightened of the truth that stares them in the face. Given time, I would pray that they would repent before you cleanse the universe of their filth."

**"Have you received a report from your operative that followed the man called Sage? I would greatly wish to know what acts of blasphemy that foul heretic is commiting. He will not escape my divine wrath!" **

Eriror hesitated for a moment. _Why can Lord Zionus not see? Is Sage so foul that my lord cannot bear to watch his crimes?_ "I am sorry, my lord. When Brom went through the warp, his communications systems seem to have been damaged. We have not been able to locate him. I fear for his mission, and hope that your eminence may see fit to reward him for his devoted service with absolution, if he ever returns."

**"I would not expect him to be able to stop Sage, for he is the envoy of the beast. However, if he returns he will be suitably rewarded for his services. Go now, and oversee the building of my eternal kingdom! I expect another report in twelve hours. May my blessings follow and strengthen you, o' child of the light!** Zionus waves his hands in a complicated pattern of blessing, and nods for Eriror to leave.

Eriror supplicates himself on the floor, and stands to leave. "Thank you, my lord. My heart is gladdened by your blessing. I shall continue to serve you faithfully, being the sword by which you cleanse the world." Eriror left, leaving Zionus to contemplate recent events...

Brom is pacing about Sana's run-down house. Nichole had informed him that there was a vehicle here whose owner ferried passengers across the frozen wastes outside. Before Brom had departed to kill him and claim his vehicle, he had been stopped by Nichole.

"Mister Brom, he went out on a run early this morning. He should be back in an hour or two, if you want to wait. And since you helped us with Morty, I'd be glad to pay your fee."

Uttering the android equivalent of a sigh, Brom had settled down to wait. "Do you know where he went? I'm looking for a friend of mine, and I'm not sure where he went. He mentioned something about the 'Espers'. Do you know what they are?"

"Yes, I do! The Espers are these really nice people who help protect us from monsters. Their headquarters is about a four-day walk from here. The Ice Digger can get you there in about an hour. I think that's where Tomas said he was going, actually. When I went to the spring early this morning, he was standing outside the inn, waiting on his fare. It was a small man in beige robes, and a woman that was dressed like an Esper. I saw them as I came back inside."

Inwardly, Brom was gloating. _Haha, Sage...I found you. You can't escape. After I kill him, I'll have earned that final upgrade. Then I can quit this stupid military gig..._  
"That sounds like my friend. Thank you, Nichole. I'll wait until the man with the Ice Digger returns."

That had been almost an hour previous. Brom was getting rather impatient. Just as he went towards the door, a loud "Boom!" was heard from outside.

Stepping out the door, he saw a pillar of black smoke billowing into the sky. A large group of ragged-looking men was gathering at the entrance to town. Brom turned to Nichole. "Who are those guys?"

"Oh no... those are the bandits that tried to get the Ice Digger from Tomas back when he first found it. They haven't attacked us since the Espers cleaned out another bandit group, but I'm not sure how long that'll hold." She looked frightened. Sana came out of the house, crying. "Nichole, what's going on? Why are the bad men back...?"

"Sana, go inside the house honey. Stay there til I tell you it's safe to come outside."

Brom began walking towards the group of bandits and slowly assembling townspeople._Dammit! If those idiots damaged the vehicle, I'll never get to the Esper's Mansion. And it looks as if they plan on looting this village. I don't really like humans, but they did give me a place to stay. I'm probably going to have to kill these fools..._

The leader of the bandits, a tall, broad-shouldered and hideously ugly man with a massive axe slung over his back, addressed the townspeople.

"Hey, youse sheep. We're here to do a little 'shopping'. I understand that food's been plentiful here lately, so the boys and I stopped by for our bit o'tribute. Cooperate, and we won't bust ya up too bad. Make a fuss, and... " he drew his finger across his throat in a easily understood gesture.

The town elder, a wizened old man in snow-white robes, stepped forward, leaning heavily on a cane."The Espers stopped you from taking 'tribute' before, and they'll do it again. We've earned our share fairly, and you haven't. We don't owe you a thing! If you'd do work once in your life, you might eat." Any further comments from the Elder were cut off as the bandit leader struck him with the blunt end of his axe, knocking him to the ground in a heap.

"I don't see any Espers here, do you old man? And we told you not to make a fuss. Now that you have, other people might start getting ideas. Seems like we have a choice here, boys," he said, turning to the group of surly-looking bandits behind him. "We can do this the easy way, or the hard way. This ain't no democracy, so I say we do it the hard way. Burn the village, capture the women and kill everyone else! Let's go wild, boys." Finishing his statement, he stepped over the old man. With one swift blow, the village no longer had a leader. Drenched in the elder's blood, the bandit leader turned his head to the sky and let out a primitive-sounding war cry. On this signal, the entire group of bandits entered the city, and began looting.

The assembled banditti behind him drew their weapons, and began to move through the town, threatening inhabitants, taking whatever caught their eye, and cutting down anyone that resisted. One bandit fired his rifle at a nearby building, and the side he hit burst into flame. Brom rushed inside the building from his hiding place, and rescued Sana and Morty from their burning home. Commending them to the care of the terrified Nichole, he threw off his robes. He was dressed in a grey bodysuit over the synthflesh that covered his android body. "I'm going to take care of these bandits. Find a safe spot to hide."

"Mister Brom, there're too many of them."

"I can handle it. From the looks of it, they destroyed my ride. I really...miss my...friend. So they have to pay. Now go and hide!"_ Stupid humans. If they didn't need those stupid 'nutrients', the bandits wouldn't have raided. Damnable fleshbags... I'm going to enjoy killing them. I needed that Ice Digger._

Drawing his Imperial Pick, he set off towards the nearest group of bandits. Though they were armed with guns, the outcome was never really in doubt. A few slashes later, and there was a gutted, hacked up pile of human trash lying between the buildings. Brom continued on his mission of pest extermination.

As Sage and Lissandra were led past the guards, Sage was taken aback at the sheer size and beauty of the building he was in. _When she called it the Esper 'Mansion', she wasn't kidding... this place is incredible._

Walking over the pristine white marble, Yokote led them down a long, narrow corridor., passing by various Espers and statues of a woman holding a sword._I wonder who that woman is..._ Sage thought. Before he could ask, Yokote had led them into a large square room, where a group of several older Espers were standing in front of a much larger copy of the statues Sage had seen throughout the building.

"Greetings, Sister Lissandra! It seems your mission went well. Let us thank the Lady Alis for your safe return." Lissandra gave a small bow in the direction of the statue. Yokote and the Elders followed suit. "Elders," Lissandra said. "This is the man that you sent me to get. He has the potential within him to become the new heir of Lutz and Rune, as you foretold! I present to you Jonas Sage." Lissandra motioned for Sage to step forward.

"Well done, Lissandra. You and Yokote are dismissed for now. We must speak with Sage."

"Very well, Elders. Good luck, Sage!" Yokote and Lissandra replied. They turned to leave. "Remember Sage," Lissandra said. "Trust in yourself, and you'll do fine." With that, they left the room, leaving Sage with the group of Elders.

The bald, white-bearded old man with the bright blue eyes that had addressed him first spoke again. "Greetings, Sage. I am the the head Elder, Jadrek. We brought you here to enable you to claim the power to defeat Zionus. I'm sure Lissandra has informed you of that, but you probably have many other questions. Is there anything you wish to know before we take you to meet Rune?"

"Yes, there's actually quite a bit. First off...why me? How can I have the power to defeat a god? And is the Rune you're referring to the same one that died trying to seal away the Profound Darkness?"

Jadrek smiled. "I did not realize that Lissandra had left you so poorly informed. When we instructed her not to reveal everything to you, it seems she was more close-mouthed than we realized. No matter. All will be revealed. But first, let us get more comfortable. This has the potential to be a long conversation. "With a wave of his hand, Jadrek transported the five Elders, Sage and himself to an entirely different room, furnished with wall to wall bookshelves and large, over-stuffed chairs.

Two Espers appeared at the door. "Would you like tea, Elders?"

"Yes, we would. Thank you, Stefan. Would you like tea, Sage?"A tall, ethereal looking woman with white hair asked, as she settled her robes about her in the chair.

"Um...sure. Thank you." Sage said. _Wow, I didn't even realize I was being transported... and now I'm here. These Elders are amazing._

Moments later, Stefan and Joni had reappeared with tea, and bustled out just as quickly as they came.

"Now that we're a bit more comfortable, let's discuss your questions." Jadrek began. "First of all, you asked 'why me?' The answer is rather simple, actually. Rune chose you."

"But why? What's so special about me?"

"You have the gift of telepathy, meaning you can communicate with him. You've seen firsthand what Zionus can do. You have a natural 'likeability' which seems to draw people to you. Additionally, whether you like to admit it or not, you're a good leader. You've seen enough tragedy to know when to commit your people, and when to retreat. That, combined with your ability to inspire people, makes you well-suited for the task we are about to set before you."

"But every time I try to lead, people get hurt. I don't like being in a position of leadership, but people always seem to nominate me..."

"That's because they can see that spark of greatness within you. At this point, the only thing holding you back is your fear of failure."

"But... how am I supposed to defeat a god?"

"You yourself are not going to defeat him. At least...not alone. You are to gather together a group of Hunters, and lead them to battle. With your guidance, and the powers of Rune and Lutz which you will channel, they will triumph over Zionus."

"But he can obliterate us with a wave of his hand!"

"Yes, but we Espers have certain artifacts that can protect you when he invokes his pure divine power. With those, he will simply be an extremely powerful wizard. He will be unable to channel the power of the Great Light against you. Thus, you will be able to defeat him."

"I don't mean to be disrespectful...but why don't you do it yourselves? You Espers are far more powerful than any group of scrub Hunters I could pull together, and you actually know what you're dealing with."

"We are prevented from drawing arms against the Great Light, no matter if it's power has been usurped or not. As servants of the Light, we are bound with a geas to aid the Light, and do nothing to harm it. We can only offer indirect assistance, and knowledge. Lutz can intervene directly, but the power needs a host. We need your help as much as you need ours. If Zionus is not stopped, he will usher in a rule of tyranny across the universe. Once he discovers how to harness the full extent of his powers, he will be unstoppable. Any that oppose him will be purged. We must stop him before that happens!"

Sage sipped his tea. After hearing what Jadrek had to say, he was rather worried. _I don't think I can do this... they're asking me to lead a group of Hunters against a god!_

"I can see that you are worried, Jonas. Do not worry, Rune's power will aid you. We will also teach you to use your powers to their full extent. You have been going about it all wrong. If you do things the correct way, you will be exponentially more powerful, even without Rune's added strength. You are more capable than you allow yourself to believe. Are you ready to begin? Time is of the essence..."

Sage set down his cup, and stood. _I guess I have no choice. I'd better hurry up and do this. At least when I fail... they'll know they have the wrong guy. Then they can find who they were really looking for._ "Sure, Jadrek... let's go."

With another wave of his hand, Jadrek and Sage were transported to a snow-filled courtyard. Several evergreen trees are planted here and there, lightly covered with snow. Various statues and fountains are strewn about. Amazingly enough, even though there is snow everywhere, the water in the fountains is not frozen. It's a beautiful winter tableau. Snowbirds are flitting about in the bright sunshine, and a few rabbits are hopping around. Sunlight is beaming down gently upon the tranquil scene. Sage and Jadrek are near an ornate building that is sitting low to the ground.

"Inside this building is the Telepathy Orb, and the Circlet of Rune. You must go inside, alone. There is a test you must pass before you can be admitted to the inner sanctum. None can help you in this, because your opponent is your own fear. When you can conquer it, you will have proven yourself worthy. If you did not have such doubts, this would not be necessary. Believe in yourself, as trite as you think that sounds. Good luck, Jonas."

"Alright, Jadrek. Thanks. And...call me Sage, please?"

Jadrek smiled. "Very well, Sage. Enter the building, and begin your trials..."

Meanwhile, on Pioneer 2...

Ayame is approaching the apartment that Leah shares with X. Her heart is heavy with trepidation. Leah has no idea what has been going on, and she is dreading having to break the news to her. As she presses the call button, the door is opened almost immediately. "X!?... Oh, it's you Ayame. What the hell is going on?"

"I"m sorry, Leah. X was captured by Zionus, and he's being held under his control. I went after Zionus, 'cause I thought X was dead. It turns out he wasn't, but he's being controlled. He attacked me... and almost killed me."

Leah ushered her inside. Ayame was on the verge of tears. _I saw that Zionus guy's broadcast with X. I wanted to think it was some kind of sick joke, but apparently it wasn't. Ayame looks awful... but she seems to have changed somehow. She's not referring to us as 'Aunt' and 'Uncle', anymore._

"Ayame, what happened. I saw the broadcast with Zionus, and I saw X. I though it was some kind of joke. We killed Zio. How did he return, and how did he get control of X?"

"He tapped into the power of some 'Great Light' thing. I'm not exactly sure what happened. An android got killed by him when Sage and X went to investigate."

"Do you mean your teacher, Sage? And where is he?"

"Yeah, he's my psychic teacher, that Elly assigned to me. Have you met him?"

"I think so... a long, long time ago. Anyway, where is he?"

"He went with this lady to find a way to beat Zionus. I can barely sense him, but I know he's alive. He'll find a way to beat Zionus, I'm sure of it!"

"Ok. What happened with X? And is that why you look so beat up? Did he give you that scar?"

"Yes. Zionus has complete control of his mind. X managed to stop himself right before he would've killed me, but I think Zionus punished him for it. I barely managed to escape."

"Are you okay, Ayame? I should've been there..."

"It's ok, Leah. I'll be fine. I just realized that I'm gonna have to grow up sometime. If you'd been there, you might've gotten hurt. You haven't practiced in years."

"Yeah, I guess you're right. I am a bit rusty. I wish I had Elsydeon again...that hunk 'a metal would come in really handy."

"Not this time, it wouldn't. Zio is filled with holy power. It wouldn't hurt him. We have to find another way..."

"Yes, I suppose you're right. Some android named Labyrinth is starting up a 'Resistance.' Maybe we should meet up with him. But anyway hon, that can wait. You look exhausted. Get some rest. You can stay here, if you want."

"Okies. Thank you, Leah. you cut my hair? I know that sounds odd, but it got all burned and stuff when I was fighting X."

"Sure, hon. And your spare clothes are upstairs in my room. Those look rather beat up."

After a nap,a bath, a haircut and a change of clothes, Ayame felt much better. Dressed in a red, black and blue full body suit, with a hat perched upon her now-short purple hair, she descended the stairs.

"Thanks, Aunt Leah. I feel a lot better now."

"Yeah, and I didn't charge you 10,000 meseta, either. Get some food, and we can see about getting in contact with Labyrinth and his 'Resistance.'

Sage stepped towards the ornate door of the building in front of him. He could see nothing inside it but darkness, but still he pressed onward. As he passed through the door, the light from outside fade, as the door seemed to disappear. Darkness filled his vision, and a cold finger of fear ran up his spine._Relax, you shouldn't be afraid of the dark,_ he told himself. The room began to gently glow, as hundreds of tiny runes scattered throughout the room began to give off a soft blue light. The light became reflected off of embedded crystals in the floor, walls and ceiling, filling the room with light. Within seconds, the room was lit as bright as day.

Sage could see a pool of clear bluish water contained in a stone basin inset into the floor in front of him, a few feet away. As he approached it, he could see his reflection in the pristine, glassy surface. Stepping closer, ripples began to pass through the water. His reflection looked up at him, then crossed its arms and regarded him with a smirk of derision. He was standing there, dumbfounded. His reflection seemed to have a mind of it's own! He backed up almost involuntarily, as something began to arise from the middle of the pool. Within seconds, what appeared to be his exact duplicate was hovering over the pool. It moved to solid ground, and descended with a muffled thud as its feet hit the ground. It appeared to be solid. Puzzled, Sage began to ask a question. Before he could open his mouth, his duplicate spoke for him.

"Hello, Sage. I am you. Well...I'm the you that you don't let out. I'm everything about your personality that you try to subsume, to control, to hide...I'm tired of your whining. I want Lutz's power, and I plan to get it. With that power, I could bring those Espers, and everyone else to their knees. I'm better than they are, and they know it. They just don't want to admit it...I just have to kill you, first. Then I can take control of our body, and go from there. Get ready to die, self!" The duplicate of Sage raised his hands and began charging a Foie spell. Without a word, he cast the ball of flame at the hastily dodging Sage.

"Why are you doing this?!"

"Because, you fool! You have the power and ability to rule over whatever you choose. You cripple yourself with self-doubt and your stupid morals. I'm tired of it. Now be a good boy, and die. People only exist to be used. You have the ability to use them, yet you deny it. Your inefficient use of resources is going to doom us all. So, I plan to fix the problem. By killing you." Sage's alter ego began casting a Gibarta technique, which Sage was barely able to avoid.

"I don't want to fight you."

"You have no choice. Kill me, or die. I'm not going to make this easy on you..."

_I suppose I have no choice. I'll try a mindtouch._ Sage thought, as he reached out with his powers. As his mind contacted the mind of the duplicate, he read feelings of hatred and a kind of despair. Pushing slightly, he enforced his will upon the doppelganger._ Show your true self! You aren't real!_ Within seconds of his telepathic command, the clone disappeared, to be replaced by a floating ball of reddish light.

"Well done, Sage. I am an amalgamation of your negative emotions. You must pass my test, and master your emotions, before you are worthy to meet with Rune. Get ready, for this next test will be more hazardous!"

The ball of light transformed into Dante. "Why'd you let me fight Eriror, when you knew that I'd lose? Why'd you let me get hurt? I needed your guidance, and you let me down. You're a failure..."

"No, you're wrong! You are your own person. You should've been able to realize that fighting him was a mistake. I'm not your babysitter. Now begone! The real Dante has been telling me that for years. I just never let it sink in, because if I felt like I had to watch out for him, it made me feel important. He is my friend because he wants to be, not because he thinks he 'needs' me. You're going to have to do better than that!"

The amalgamation had drawn a sword and began to advance on Sage, yet his words drove it back. It dissolved into the red ball of light, but changed shape again.

The Dreamchasers stood before him, holding their weapons. "Well, it's nice to know you are a good babysitter. You still suck as a hunter, though. You only made it as a hunter because you had those two meatshields Dante and Eriror. You couldn't fight your way out of a paper bag. Let's show this fool how weak he really is!" Axios said, as the trio drew their weapons.

Sage's hastily erected telekinetic barrier managed to deflect Nova's first volley of gunfire, but before he could go on the offensive, Axios and Kiara rushed him. Pulling his staff from a capsule on his belt, he opened his mind. Reading the thoughts of his two attackers, Sage telekinetically guided his weapon to block the blows from Axios' Rokujou and Kiara's twin Kamuis. _Wow, I didn't realize I could do this. I probably won't be able to keep it up for long, but...wait a minute! Yes, I can! I just have to relax, and let their thoughts guide me. If I can sustain a intergalactic psychic communication with someone with no gift for almost an hour, I can do this with no problems._

Unfortunately for him, his Striker did not hold up nearly as well. A strong hit from Rokujou sliced it in half. Weaponless, he backed away as Kiara and Axios closed in for the kill. Stepping to the side, he wondered why Nova hadn't continued firing._ He has the ability to aim around his comrades. So why hasn't he?_ Looking to the side, he saw why. Nova had disappeared. A burst of gunfire from behind him showed his location. He had retreated into the shadows in an attempt to snipe him. The bullets barely missed him, putting a hole through the trailing sleeve of his robes.

As he stood, shocked, Axios leaped at him. Activating the capsule that he almost never touched, he drew his fake Agito from it's sheath. Dante had endeavoured to teach him swordsmanship, but had never gotten very far. With his newfound confidence in his mental abilities, he finally relaxed and let the attacks flow from a place deep within his mind. Seconds later, Axios' headless corpse was disappearing in a puff of smoke. _Wow, I'm lucky these doppelgangers don't actually have the skill levels of their counterparts. I'd already be dead._ Turning to Nova, he focused telekinetic energy with his free hand, and slammed him into a wall with all his might. He hit the wall and slumped, unconscious.

A Zonde bolt from Kiara hit him a split second later, temporarily paralyzing him as his muscles spasmed in protest. He slumped to his knees, unable to defend himself. As Kiara drew back her blades, he telekinetically seized her hands, slowing the cut as he burned out the pathetic copy of her mind the doppelganger created with a surge of psychic energy. Mindless, she managed only a shallow cut on his face before she too disappeared into a puff of smoke.

By this time, Nova had recovered from the telekinetic hit he had taken. He reached for his guns, and stood. "Well done, Sage. You're better than you let on. Why do you hide your combat abilities?"

"Because, I don't like to see people get hurt. However, sometimes it's unavoidable... I realize that now. I can't stop all violence, but being afraid to defend myself gets me nowhere." With this, he sheathed his 1983 Agito, and returned it to its capsule at his belt. "So, I'm assuming you want a duel? You never get to do that anymore, because everyone realizes you're too good."

"Very well. Ten paces, turn and fire. Let's do it..."

Nova and Sage met in the center of the room, and stood back to back. Each started walking, and when they'd counted off ten paces, they whirled simultaneously and fired. Nova's bullets scarred the wall, as Sage had used his telepathy to throw off his aim. His Red Handgun blast caught the fake Nova between the eyes, dispelling the illusion instantly.

_Wow, these fakes are a lot weaker. Nova never just aims by eye, and his mind's immune to my telepathic suggestions. I think they're meant more as training tools than deadly challenges, though._

"So, what now? You don't seem to be that dangerous..."

"I am only as powerful as the control you let your emotions have over you. You seem to have found a new resolve. I salute you. Only a few more tests, now..."

Seconds later, the scene had changed to the familiar clearing in the forests of Ragol that haunted Sage's dreams to this day. His newly won confidence in himself evaporated. _Oh no, not this... I can't beat Eriror. He's far too strong. I'd have to release all the limits on my powers. I might end up killing him if I completely let loose. No! I can't be afraid. If I fear the extent of my power, I'll never be able to control it.Besides, this is just an illusion. Lissandra was right. I have to trust myself. This illusion can be a useful test of my abilities._

Steeling himself for the inevitable, he watched the familiar figures of Dante, Eriror and the Dreamchasers fade in. The Dreamchasers were unconscious, and Dante was missing an arm. Eriror stood over him, holding the blood-stained Zanba. There was a feral look in his eyes, making him look more animal than man.

"I'm going to kill you, Sage. And you're powerless to stop me. Prepare to die!" With astonishing speed, Eriror raised his stolen blade and ran at Sage.

The scarlet glory of a brilliantly setting sun bathes the clearing in a reddish haze, making the leering visage of Eriror look all the more menacing as he approaches Sage, sword drawn. Sage is fighting two battles, one with his own emotions and one with Eriror. He's mostly dodging and blocking as the clumsy doppelganger stalks him.

_I have to face him. I've ran from the responsiblity of my powers for long enough. Ever since I was a kid, I've held myself on a tight rein, afraid to learn the limits of my powers for fear I'd abuse them. I thought that if I just ignored them and blocked them away, I'd never inadvertantly hurt anyone ever again. But I was always placed in circumstances where I had to use them. _

Sage dodged a swing that, if delivered by the real Eriror, would have cleaved him in two easily. He cast Jellen, then drew his katana._ I have to end this soon. He's getting stronger as my doubts increase. I've kept him weak by not accepting this as real, but it is. If I can't beat him, I won't ever be able to believe I can do anything. I have to get past my failure._

He stabbed at the inferior copy as it whiffed another swing, and it dissipated.

"You did not fully face your fears, Sage. This trial will be restarted, and you will not run this time."

"Very well. I'm ready to face the real thing now..."_I rationalized using my powers by saying I was helping people, but all the time I was only doing that so people would like me. I was constantly looking for approval from others, because I hated myself. I felt that if other people liked me because of my abilities, that I didn't have to hate myself. It's like I had to justify my existence against some external standard. I realize now that that's wrong. I'm going to see what I'm really capable of. Only then can I learn to control it. _

An image of Dante appeared out of the pool. This one was as solid as the Dreamchasers, and seemed to be at full power.

_Hmm...why isn't it Eriror?_

"Hello, Sage. You've dreaded going back to the clearing, haven't you? It's not because you are afraid of Eriror, but because you are afraid of me. You're scared that if I'd thought about it, I wouldn't have saved you. You think that I hate you as much as Eriror did, huh? You're right. Prepare to die!"

Sage's worst fear had been revealed. As his best friend barreled towards him with murder in his eyes, Sage was frozen. He'd slipped up, and allowed the doppelganger to get too deeply inside his head. This memory could kill him...

Ayame was standing outside an rundown elevator. Her companion Lucca was working at the control panel, trying to get it to work. Ayame thought back on how she'd ended up here.

Leah and Ayame walked into the headquarters of the Resistance. Labyrinth greeted them, and ushered them back to his office.

"So, Labyrinth...you got our message?"

"Yes, Ms. Leah. You're interested in joining us, correct?"

"Yes. Zionus must be stopped... that madman is the last person that needs to be flinging around divine power."

"Yeah! He hurt Uncle X, and I barely escaped."

"You must be Ayame. I've heard that you fought Zionus on two separate occasions, and came out relatively unscathed. That's impressive for anyone, but for a little girl? Amazing!"

"I'm not a little girl! I'm sixteen..."

"That's...odd. You have the exterior of someone much younger."

Ayame blushed, and Leah looked furious. _She's just a late bloomer...how dare he?_ Leah thought. Before she could open her mouth, Labyrinth spoke again.

"Ayame, have you heard of a man named Dr. Wimberline?"

Ayame had frozen at the sound of those words, as memories jumped unbidden to her mind._ I remember the tube, and the nice man. He told me to leave, so I wouldn't get hurt. I don't remember much after that, until I woke up in the orphanage._

"N-n-n-never heard of him..." _The nice man told me that the Doc wanted to put me back in the tube. I didn't want to, though..._

"Hmm...anyway, we have discovered a lab where Dr. Wimberline carried out his research. There might be information that is valuable to the Resistance there, as he was researching advanced techniques. Would you accompany Lucca to check it out, Ayame?"

"Sure, Mr. Labyrinth. If it'll help defeat Zionus, I'll go." _I wonder if the nice man is still there?_

Leah spoke up, looking concerned. "I'm going to go too. I don't want anything to happen to you, Ayame."_She looks terrified. I wonder what meaning that name has to her?_

"It's ok Aunt Leah. I'll be fine. It's just an old lab. Besides, Lucca will be with me. She was the one who helped Mr. Sage when Zionus first appeared."

"Ok Ayame, but be careful."

"I will!" Ayame said brightly, as she left with Lucca, who had been standing behind Lab's desk researching the location of Wimberline's lab.

"So, what do you want me to do, Labyrinth? Is there any kind of strategy to defeating Zionus, or what?"

"We badly need combat instructors for our new members. Their fighting 'skills' are atrocious. I'll set you up with a training area and a class now, if you're ready."

Leah followed Lab out of the room, wondering why Ayame had looked so frightened at the mention of that name.

In the present... Lucca had suceeded in opening the elevator door. As she and Ayame stepped onto it, they were carried to a subterranean laboratory in a run down part of Pioneer 2.

"So, Ayame..." Lucca began. "Have you been here before?"

Before Ayame could answer, they were approached by a frazzled looking man in a white lab coat. Lucca had drawn a bead on him with her handgun, but lowered it as Ayame let out a squeal of glee and leaped at the man, embracing him tightly.

"Hahn! You're still here. I missed you so much. So much has happened..." she began to ramble on. The man known as Hahn interrupted her.

"Ayame, it's very good to see you. But we don't have time right now. Zionus is on his way here. We have to unleash your full potential. Without it, you won't stand a chance against him. Come with me, hon."

Ayame followed docilely behind as he led her to a large, transparent cylinder in the corner. The words 'Loranna Project' were engraved on a metallic band that circled the cylinder. Lucca watched them warily, as Ayame continued to chatter away.

"Ayame, step into the capsule please."

"Ok, Hahn." Ayame stepped lightly inside the open door, and it closed around her. The capsule filled with an amber liquid, and beam projectors studded at the top and bottom began to glow.

"What are you doing to her?" Lucca asked, a look of suspicion on her face.

"Ayame is a newman that was created to be the ultimate technique user. She was created in this lab by my former employer, Dr. Wimberline. She's come back several times throughout the years for treatments to keep her powers in check. Each time, we've released a bit more of the locks. However, we don't have the time to wait any longer. She needs her full power now, to stop Zionus. He's on his way here..."

With a loud hum, the machinery seemed to switch gears, as the capsule started to fill the room with soft amber light.

Lucca stared at Hahn, astonished.

"How did Zionus find this place? And what does he want with it?"

"Zionus controls the military. We are a project that has been closely observed by the military. Zionus is trying to wipe out any possible resistance to his rule."

"So, you said Ayame has had blocks in place this entire time. Why?"

"Because her power is incredible. If she can't control it, she's a danger to herself and others. We found that out the hard way..."

The capsule that Ayame is in is surrounded by a metal ring with an attached armature, and the energy projectors around the inside of the ring has begun to light up, as the entire apparatus moves up and down the capusle, seemingly irradiating Ayame.

Lucca followed Hahn over to a computer console. Glancing over his shoulder at the computer she began reading the information displayed there. It read:

----- Loranna Project Model 003 Designation: A Y A M E  
Blocks: Currently at 60 and declining. Full block removal in progress.  
Physical Status: Adolescence will begin when genetic block removal is at 50 block level. Mental capacity blocks will be removed at the same time. Adolescence has been delayed due to the increase in physical ability in entails.  
Mental Status: Rapid conditioning in effect. Subject has shown acceptable resistance to violent urges. Advisable to release majority of blocks, with continued gradual conditioning.  
Technique Status: At reaching of 50 block level, accquired techs will be purged for acquisition of advance level techs.

Block Release: Scheduled for complete block removal, over a gradual period. Genetic markers for ability blocks are currently being exposed to a certain frequency of energy that deactivates them.  
------------------------------  
"Well...she missed her last treatment, so I'm going to let her make that up, then release her for a bit to get accustomed to it. Releasing all the blocks at once would be rather disturbing to her. Are you a friend of hers?"

Hahn turned from the computer, and walked to a heavily reinforced door set into the wall. Removing a silver, metallic case, he set it down on a nearby table.

"Yes, sort of. She's helping us fight Zionus."

"Good. He's a pyschopath."

"So, Mr. Hahn. What's in the case?"

"We have been developing techniques that far surpass the normal levels currently in use. Under the current ranking system, the techniques we've developed would be classified at around level 50. When she's done with her treatment, I'm going to let her use these. "

"Why haven't these techniques been mass-marketed?"

"Because, no normal being could assimilate and use them. Ayame is special. We created her to be the ultimate technique user."

"What do you mean by that? And...didn't you say Zionus knows where you are? Shouldn't you hurry...?"

"Haha. First of all...Zionus' forces won't be here for at least another hour. By that time, all evidence from the project will have been destroyed, and Ayame will be fully-powered. As for the meaning of 'ultimate technique user... we used genetic material from a legendary being named Loranna. We altered it, combining it with what we new about energy manipulation, and created a prototype named Danielle. Unfortunately, the sheer power available to her drove her insane. She ended up killing herself, nearly destroying many people in the process."

"Wow, so how did you get Ayame from this...?"

"We cloned Danielle before she was destroyed, and added in genetic blocks during synthesis. We also developed a training and conditioning program to minimize the homicidal urges. We began to release the blocks at set intervals. Ayame's physical and emotional growth was tied to the growth of her powers. This is why, even at 16, she looks and acts several years younger. She will likely be different-looking when she steps out of the capsule. The fluid inside there is a hyper-nutriitive, and the beams of energy are releasing the blocks. The green pulses of energy that follow the yellow are a growth-accelerating beam. She is basically maturing seven or so years in a matter of thirty minutes. Her transformation should be complete soon..."

Just then an alarm sounded.

"Oh no! That's an alarm hooked up to a surveillance system located in Zionus' stronghold. His troops are on the move. I have to speed this up. Ayame at half power won't stand much of a chance."

"I'm going to contact the Resistance. We may need her power, and they can help us."

"I'm going to release the blocks on her powers. I hate to do this, but we don't have the time to let her grow into her powers. She's going to need to be able to defend herself. I can only hope that she's learned enough self-control to not snap..."

"Can't you move the equipment to our base?"

"There's no time! The only copy of the equipment is here. All the plans are stored on the computer, and it's set to wipe itself in an hour. It's protected against copying."

"So there really is not choice? Very well. I've contacted the Resistance. Backup should be arriving soon."

"Alright. I'm going to release all the blocks, but I don't have time to speed-mature her. She's going to have to grow up normally from now on."

Hahn walked back to the computer, and began typing in a complex series of codes. Lucca looked at the screen:

WARNING! HIGH-LEVEL ACCESS REQUIRED!

----- Loranna Project Model 003 Designation: A Y A M E  
Blocks: Currently at 50 and holding.   
Physical Status: Adolescence has been reached.  
Mental capacity blocks up to approximate age 16 have been removed.  
Mental Status: Rapid conditioning completed. Mental strength currently at 1.5 times the normal maximum for a Female Newman Force.  
Technique Status: Learned techniques purged, barring Anti, Ryuker and Reverser.

Block Release: Completed.

Password required for further block release.

Password accepted.

Enter command:  
------------------------------

The computer screen is now flashing an angry red.

WARNING!  
The command just entered will result in the release of all blocks on the power of the subject. Are you sure you want to continue? Y/N

Yes.

Status: Blocks on power of Project Loranna Subject-  
A Y A M E being released. Accelerated growth will not occur, due to conflicts with the self-destruct timer. Subject will mature physically normally. Block release will be completed in 30 seconds...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Ayame should be released from the capsule in approximately 30 seconds. I need to prepare the techs for her."

Hahn walked over to the case, and began to remove several red boxes.

"They look like the 'rare-class' equipment found from Pioneer One."

"Yes, we thought it was fitting. The techniques on these disks are far more powerful than the 'rare-class' weaponry."

"What techniques are there?"

"Simple and Strong Level techs, from the Foie, Zonde and Barta series. We skipped making intermediate level techniques, because the other two levels are more efficient. The simple techs (Foie, Zonde and Barta) are for single targets, and the Ra(strong) level techs are for multiple targets."

"What about the Gi-level series?"

"Ayame doesn't like them, and channeling this much power into an area-effect spell causes it to be very efficient. The Ra-level techs manage to distribute the power without a loss in efficiency, but trying to focus them at the Gi-level causes them to be either far too slow to cast, or uncontrollable. It's more a preference thing."

"Oh, that sort of makes sense. Is it just the elemental spells, or what?"

"We also developed powerful versions of Grants, Megid, Shifta, Deband, Jellen, Zalure and Resta. Since most technique users can hold up to 16 techniques, we developed three unique ones."

Just then, an alarm near the capsule went off.

"The releasing of the blocks is finished. We just have to wait for her to wake up."

"What are the three unique techs?"

"The three unique techs are Hex, a technique that lowers energy resistance to elemental damage by about a third; Curse, a technique that causes various status ailments on an enemy, and Shadow Flare, a powerful blast of energy that does non-elementally-alligned damage."

"Sounds interesting. How long will it take for Ayame to wake up, and how long will it take Zionus to get here?"

"About a minute, and about fifteen minutes, respectively.

"Ok. The Resistance can moblize in about twenty minutes. Should we just vacate the lab after Ayame wakes up?"

"Yes, because the self-distruct is going to be activated in twenty-five minutes. I can't stop it at this point."

Ayame began to stir inside the capsule. It is difficult to see more than a vague silhouette through the opaque yellow plastic.

"She's waking up. Do me a favor, and grab those tech disks." Hahn produced a Trimate and a Trifluid from his pocket, and headed towards the capsule.

The door to the capsule opened with a soft 'hiss' of escaping gases. Ayame reached out her hand, then used it to pull herself from the restraints inside. As she stepped out, the changes that had been wrought were readily apparent. She was a bit taller, and in general more adult-looking...in all areas. Her clothing was stretched to the breaking point in certain places, due to her suddenly adult body. Hahn grabbed a capsule from the table, and tossed it to her.

"There's a change of clothes in there. AFter you change, I'm going to show you the new techs."

"Alright. I have a question, though... I knew I was going to grow up, but why are my clothes so much tighter around my chest and hips than anywhere else?" Her voice has changed, from a high-pitched little-girl squeak to a slightly husky alto.

Ayame walks behind a curtain, and presumably begins to change.Seconds later, a shriek is heard.

"Aaah! I look like Auntie Leah. I have those bumps on my chest like her, and my waist is really small, yet my butt's bigger. My legs are all long all out of proportion, and I have hair growing in funny places. Is this normal?"

"Yes, Ayame. We accelerated your growth in the capsule. You went through puberty while you were in there, and that's why your body is differently proportioned now. You are also quite a bit stronger physically, too. And the blocks on all your mental abilities have been released."

"Yay! Now I can beat up Zionus. But wait... I can't cast any of my techs. What happened?" As she said this, she stepped out from behind the curtain, dressed in a black miniskirt,shorts and bodice with blue and purple trim.Black stockings and black platform shoes complete the outfit. Her hair is long, and a slightly darker shade of purple. It hangs freely down her back.

Hahn handed her the technique disks, and with several bright flashes of energy they were activated and assimilated.

"Wow, thanks Mr. Hahn! I can't wait to try them out. I feel kinda weak, though..."

"You are drained from the transformation. Use these, and it'll help you regain your strength."

He hands her the Trifluid and Trimate, and seconds later she is restored to full capacity.Luckily for her, because the far wall of the lab suddenly bursts inward, propelled by a loud explosion. Zionus' troops were ahead of schedule...

A group of 15 soldiers armed with Rifles and garbed in white uniforms bursts into the laboratory. At the head of the group is X, strolling confidently through the hole in the wall. He opens his mouth, and Zionus' voice can be heard, as the demi-god speaks through him.

**Infidels! You have attempted to defy me, and now you will be judged. Soldiers, kill them all, and take what you can from the lab.** X retreats backwards to observe, moving at a sedate pace as his every move is controlled by Zionus.

The soldiers crowd into the room, and level their rifles.

"Surrender, and your deaths will be painless. Resist, and they will not."

Ayame raises her hand, and rapidly casts a Jellen spell on the group of soldiers. The powerful spell weakens most of them to the point where they cannot hold up their rifles. As their weapons clatter to the ground, she steps forward, her body fairly glowing with technique energy. Another wave of her hand, and Lucca, Hahn and herself are filled with strength as her super-powered Shifta and Deband spells take effect. One soldier that had been able to hang onto his rifle managed to get a shot off at Hahn. It hit him, but with the combined power of the Jellen and Deband spells, it did nothing.

Seconds later, that unfortunate soul was the first to taste Ayame's boosted Foie technique. His body was consumed in flame for a second, and he dropped to the floor.

_Oh, wow...I didn't mean to hurt him. My techniques really are boosted. I need to be careful._

"Lucca, Mr. Hahn... you need to get out of here. Go back to the Resistance and tell them what's happening. I'll take care of these guys."

"But Ayame, you may need our help." Lucca protested.

"I'm sorry Ms. Lucca, but you don't stand a chance against Uncle X. The only reason I'm even here is because of the power boost I just got. I have a score to settle with him. Oh, and don't try to telepipe out. The lab, and the surrounding block is shielded by an interference generator. When the self-destruct goes off, that will go away. If you still need to telepipe out when that goes off, though...you won't be here. It's going to be a massive explosion. Now run, you guys. I can hold them off for now!"

Lucca and Hahn quickly escaped out the rear door of the lab. The soldiers stepped forward menacingly, but recoiled in fear as Ayame began to charge up.

"You know, I'm glad you guys showed up. I needed to test out my new powers."

With that, she cast her new technique, Hex. A wave of eldritch blue energy flowed off of her body, coalescing into a ring that spread through the room. Mystic symbols appeared under each soldier's feet, glowing faintly.

"Ha, little girl...what are you trying to do?"

"First off, mister...I'm not a little girl anymore. I have chest bumps like Auntie Leah, and that makes me at least a teenager now. Second...I've lowered your resistance to energy. You get to pick which way you want to get blasted. Fire, lightning or ice?"

"Hah, get her!"

Three of the soldiers drew Gladiusi, and charged her. One was turned into a pile of ashes with Foie, one was electrocuted to death with Zonde, and the third managed to swing at Ayame before he was turned into a solid block of ice with Barta. As he was swing was slightly unbalanced, he fell to the floor seconds after he was frozen, shattering into myriad pieces as he made contact.

"Oops! I'm really sorry about that. These new techs are more powerful than I thought."

The remaining soldiers closed in, readying their weapons.

Ayame is really enjoying herself. The soldiers seem to have gone to the cliche-bad-guy academy of ineptitude, as they continue to attack her in small groups. As the next group of three attempt to attack her with Rippers, she casts Razonde, dropping tehm to the ground. The massivesurge of electricity is not quite enough to be lethal, but they are immobilized as every muscle in their body seizes up. Small sparks of electricity run off of their bodies as the remain helpless on the ground.

X is watching with a blank stare on his face. Zionus is observing the situation through his eyes. **_Hmm...my troops are not as skilled as I was told. That mistake will have to be rectified. This girl is incredibly powerful. I did not think she was a threat when X failed to kill her. Apparently, I was wrong..._**

Zionus observes Ayame blasting another group of three soldiers with Megid. The humongous ball of roiling purple smoke passes through them with a dull thud, dropping them instantly to the ground as their bodies are shut down.

The next group of soldiers shows a bit more coordination, but they are swiftly blasted into oblivion by a superpowered Rafoie tech.

**_She casts as quickly as a one who is trained in barehanded casting. Females typically are much more efficient in channeling energy through a weapon. She truly is the 'ultimate tech user'. I will have to have X kill her. She could be very dangerous._**

Ayame hits the next three idiots (oops, I mean soldiers) with a chilling blast of Rabarta, freezing them solid.

"I'm sorry. You'll thaw out eventually. Eventually being in a couple of days. However...with the self-destruct timer going, you may not be able to. You should have thought of that before you joined up to kill people for a wannabe god."

The last four regular troops and their leader decide to make a concentrated effort, and all attack Ayame at once. Boosted by her spells, she blocks the first attackers Partisan swing with her bare hand, and retaliates with a kick to the temple that drops him to the ground. The second manages to swing his Calibur once, narrowly missing her as the familiar sparkles of light that signify a coming Grants technique gather around him. As he prepares his second swing, arrows of light blast him, and his body is consumed in a beam of light.

he two remaining soldiers cower by their leader, frightened by the effortless defeat of their comrades. The leader produces a Diska of Braveman, and sends a energy blade at Ayame. It grazes her face as it passes, leaving a tiny cut.

"Ow, you big meanie! That _hurt!_Before she can retaliate, one of the remaining troopers draws a pair of mechguns and begins blasting at her. To his shock and amazement, she begins deflecting his blasts bare-handed.

"Hey, this is fun!" Focusing her energy, she reaches telepathically into his mind. Controlling his aim, she commands him to fire. A telekinetic redirecting of his blasts ensues, and the energy is returned to him at full force. He drops like a stone under the energy onslaught.

One soldier, the lieutenant and X are left standing. The grunt can't take it anymore. He had come to serve his god, and had ended up fighting a demon. He gets three feet before his body is consumed in a wave of dark energy that emanates from an arcane circle formed under his feet by Ayame. "Shadow Flare!" she cries, as beams of dark energy form a cage around him. Crisscrossing beams of purple energy shoot from one 'bar' of the cage to the other, lancing through him. It appears to cause him no pain, but the explosion of purple light that is centered on him a second later is accompanied by a horrendous scream. As the arcane circle dissipates, a pile of ash is all that is left.

The lieutenant steps forward, but Ayame raises her hand to stop him."I'm tired of having to hurt people. Curse!" A bright flash of purple energy comes off his body, similar in all but color to Anti. As the dark power consumes him, he is paralyzed, poisoned, confused, slowed and shocked, rendering him harmless. His mind is destroyed, and he curls up into the fetal position on the floor, whimpering softly.

_I don't really like these new techniques.They all seem rather mean..._

X approaches her, drawing his sword menacingly. Zionus speaks through him, **"Girl, you escaped the first time. This time however...you die!"**

X stabs at Ayame viciously with a lightning-enhanced sword, using his trademark Raitonken attack. Ayame dodges, and reacts by blasting him in the face with Foie. He slides backwards, but is relatively unharmed.

**"Fear me, girl! I have rendered him immune to your pitiful attacks. Your demise is at hand."**

"Oh yeah? Well...eat this!" Ayame casts Shadow Flare, imprisoning X within a cage of arcane energy."The backlash from your link with X will hurt you, and that's pure darkness energy. What you are weak against... You wanna break the link now, big guy?"

**_Gah, foolish mortal! I am still too weak to be spuriously taking damage. X's abilities alone should be able to defeat her. _**

Zionus released the link, and X was immediately consumed in a wave of dark energy. When it subsided, he looked a bit worse for wear. Unfortunately for Ayame, the upper part of his clothing had been destroyed. The lower part was miraculously untouched by the dark energy, but his upper body was seemingly scorched.

_Oh, great. Uncle X always gets really mad when his shirts are messed up. Usually, he beats the crap out of whoever did it. I may have a problem..._

Ayame begins to blast various forms of elemental energy at the now shirtless(-power boosted) X. A furious battle ensues, with each combatant taking as good as they give. X's strikes are less damaging than Ayame's techs, but he connects far more often. The battle rages throughout the room, until Ayame makes a fatal error. She stops to glance at the self-destruct timer, having forgotten that the lab around her was due to explode soon. _Two minutes, oh no! I need to..._"Aah!"

The "Aah" was brought about by X dashing over to her in the split-second that her concentration was broken. A searing pain erupted in Ayame's chest, and she looked down. X's sword was embedded in her chest. She suddenly felt very cold, despite the warmth that was gushing out of her very rapidly. Before she could cast Resta, Zionus clamped down on her technique powers savagely, draining her of her energy. As the world around her went black, she slumped to her knees. X withdrew his sword, and stood over her with a pained look on his face.

"Uncle... you...stabbed...me. Why...?" Ayame lost consciousness, falling onto her back, her limbs splayed out like a rag doll as her life's blood pumped from the hole in her chest.

The timer on the self-destruct read a minute and a half as Zionus commanded X to leave the lab. Sheathing his sword, he slowly turned and walked away, leaving Ayame's limp body inside the doomed lab...


	5. Echoes of the Past

Dante and Sage are locked into a furious battle. Sage is defending himself well with his fake Agito, but Dante's superior skill is beginning to wear him down. Even with the telepathic knowledge of what the doppelganger is going to do before he does it, and the telekinetic boosts to all his strikes and blocks, Sage is still barely keeping himself in one piece.

"Sage, you cannot win. I am your greatest fear. You are powerless against me!"

Dante leapt at Sage in a savage attack, swinging his Zanba with devastating force. The powerful swing cleaved through Sage's blade, shattering it. Before it could hit his chest, though, it hit a telekinetic shield that he threw up; stopping the massive blade inches from his exposed chest.

The last time this had happened, his shield had worn out and he had his leg shattered.. It had been Eriror swinging the Zanba at the time, but the results were similar. If his shield broke this time, there would be no Dante to save him. Even though this was a supposedly harmless test, the few hits the Dante clone had landed were real enough. Sage redoubled his efforts, pushing outward with all his strength, at last managing to knock Dante backwards.

"I do **not** fear you any longer. I am strong enough to defeat you!"

Sage focused his mental energies, and raised his hand as Dante prepared another strike. Channeling all of his telekinetic energy into his hands, he caught Dante's sword as it was swung in a deadly arc. He focused, then telekinetically broke the blade in two, screaming at the strain it placed on his mental abilities. He then struck at the doppelganger's weak point, attacking it with a telepathic blast strong enough to kill a dozen humans. The doppelganger wavered for a second, fell backwards and transformed into it's true state, a hovering red ball of energy. Sage, his abilities strained to the max, slumped to one knee, breathing heavily.

The glowing orb began to grow in size, seeming to feed off of Sage's emotions. He was angry, and frustrated that the test wasn't over. He was also beginning to become more than a little arrogant.

"So, you done yet? I have full control over my powers now. I'm tired of holding back. Are you going to give in, or do I have to kill you?"

"You have learned well, and truly are at the peak of your abilities. However, you must remember that no one is an island. No matter how powerful you are, you will eventually need the help of another. Face your final challenge, chosen one of Lutz!" The orb flashed white, then began to grow until it was the size of a human. With a bright flash of light, it coalesced into the form of Zionus.

**Fear me, mortal! I am the avatar of the Great Light, and your foolish power is nothing against my divine might."**

_Oh, great. I have gotten stronger, but he's a god. Even unleashing enough energy to kill me would barely scratch him. I'm going to need help..._

As Zionus raised his hands and began charging energy, a plan formed in Sage's brain. 

_This place is based off of my emotions. If I think something here, it becomes reality. So if I call for help, and truly believe it will come..._ With this thought, shadowy images of the Dreamchasers and Dante began forming in the four corners of the room. _I just have to hold off this blast. This oughtta be fun._

Sage braced himself, drawing on all his mental reserves.  
He created a telekinetic shield and centered it in front of him, as he concentrated very, very hard on wishing that his friends were there to help him. As corny as he thought it was, it seemed to be working. The shadowy images in each corner of the room were getting stronger and more solid with every second. Unfortunately, the energy Zionus was gathering was getting more and more intense.

Zionus pressed his hands together, pointing at Sage. **"Now, little telepath, you die!** An enormous beam of divine energy shot from his hands to Sage. Sage extended his hands, strengthening his barrier with everything he had. His mind filled with a peaceful blackness, and he could feel himself starting to lost consciousness.

The deadly white beam seemed to stop in mid-air, mere inches away from Sage's outstretched hands. Focusing his powers, he began to push back the energy. Every nerve in his body felt like it was on fire, and Zionus was barely straining. Yet, inch by torturous inch, the barrier began to expand, pushing the beam towards Zionus. It was pure agony for Sage, but it worked. Wary of being hit by the backlash of his own beam, Zionus stopped his onslaught.

That's when the mental constructs of Sage's friends struck. Axios began chanting for Gifoie, and spun Rokujou, charging it with fire energy. Rokujou spun faster and faster, each revolution attracting one of the Gifoie flames. When the sword was a whirling ball of fire, Axios stopped spinning it, planted his feet and fired the stored energy at Zionus in a huge wave of heat. "Sharishin's Kaiu!"

The crimson beam stuck him in the side, stunning him. For the first time, Sage heard him cry out in pain."Get him, Sage!" Axios yelled.Zionus' attention had been distracted, and his defenses were down.

As he turned to annihilate Axios, Dark Nova stuck. Forming a large beam weapon from a capsule he drew from his pocket, he leaped into the air. As he leaped into the air, he fired off his Aurora Cannon attack, sending a massive blue beam of energy at Zionus. The mad demi-god was now pinned between two powerful beam attacks, and rapidly getting damaged. He was trapped, and unable to move. If he flinched, the beams would destroy him.

Kiara then made her move. Drawing her Kamuis, she dashed over to Zionus, chanting all the while. As she reached him, she split into four copies of herself, and circled him. The copies of Kiara raised their blades, charging them with energy as they prepared to unleash the Split-Image Slice.

The Dante clone saluted Sage with his mechanical arm, then drew his Red Sword, It was the only weapon he was left with after Eriror's theft of his Zanba. Leaping into the air, he came down on Zionus with tremendous force. His Cross Hell Reaper attack was a variation on his old style. He and the four Kiaras hit at the same time.

The combined effect of the four attacks was much greater than the individual destructive potential of any single one. The real Zionus might have survived them, but the clone did not stand a chance. Zionus exploded in a wave of light, reverting to the orb form. It was still being bombarded with energy, but refused to die.

Sage drew his Red Handgun, charged it with his last remnants of tech energy, and fired. The shot hit with full force, scattering the orb into a thousand shining particles that flared for a second, then died away. The Dreamchasers and Dante faded away, soon followed by the room.

Sage was standing in a room with a marble floor. An ornate staircase led downwards, and there was a mirror on the wall. Stepping forward, Sage was joined by Jadrek before he could look in the mirror.

"I warn you, this may be a shock..."

Jadrek stepped out of his path, and Sage gazed into the mirror.

Meanwhile, Brom was systematically slaughtering the bandits. His Imperial Pick had been broken by a lucky strike from one of the bandit's axes. He was fine with his bare hands, though. He was shattering bones and crushing organs with glee, completely in his element.

_Hmm...fleshbags die so easily. It's a wonder their species survived this long._ He parried a rifle shot with his bare hand, then broke the shooter's neck with a swift twist. The next unlucky bandit had his face turned to mush with a flurry of punches, then was impaled on his own saber and left to die.

Brom had, over the course of the past ten minutes, systematically wiped out most of the bandits attacking the village. He was surprised to find himself not wanting to kill the villagers, though. Usually he would just kill everything in his way, but this time he was only targeting the bandits. _I may need these fleshie's help to find Sage._ Brom made his way to the town square, where the bandit leader and his last remaining troops were gathered. The few bandits that escaped his wrath were already squawking about a 'demon-man.' He was rather insulted being compared to a human, but he let it slide. They were going to die anyway...

The bandit leader watched as the gore-spattered person stalked towards him. He was dressed in a bodysuit that had once been black, but was now stained red._ That's the blood of my men. Less ways to split the loot, but still. They were useful henchmen.I'll make him die screaming._

"Boys, blast this runt!"

His men opened fire with everything they had. Surprisingly, Brom dodged most of their shots. A cry from near a building caught his attention, and he made the mistake of turning towards it. A rifle blast caught him in the face, blowing off the synth-flesh to reveal his android face underneath. His head snapped back, stopping his inexorable approach. Recovering, he swiveled his head in a good imitation of a human's threatening neck-crack and continued onward. _That fleshbag is going to pay. He messed up my disguise..._

His attention was caught by another similar scream. Turning to look, he saw the bandits holding a struggling Nichole and Sana. Sana slipped out of the man's grasp, and ran to him.

"Mr. Brom, are you okay?" She clutched his leg, clinging to him tightly.

"Get off, kid!" _Her grip is rather strong for one of the human larvae. I need to get rid of her before they start shooting again._ Leaning down, he picked her up and began to run. He got about four feet before the bandits opened up on him again. His sensors detected dozens of energy blasts hitting him at once. They did minimal damage, but the sum total was wreaking havoc on his clothing and the synthflesh underneath it. Driven by some impulse he didn't really comprehend, he continued to shield Sana's small, delicate body with his armored one until the last bandit ran out of energy.

He dashed to one of the dilapidated buildings, and sat her down. "Do not move, or I'll kill you myself," He told her sternly. As he turned to attack the bandits once again, she began to speak.

_Wonderful. She sees that I'm an android, and is frightened of me. I'm going to have to kill her too._ "Mr. Brom...thank you. Be careful, okay? I see that you are a robot, and really strong, but I don't want you to get hurt."

_That's odd. I suppose I should feel 'touched', as the fleshbags put it. At least I'm assured of having the villagers cooperation in finding Sage, now. Now to kill the bandits..._

Brom turned and rushed the bandits, drawing his Partisan of Lightning. The first to step up was diced in two, and the next few were swiftly cut down in a deadly dance of swordsmanship. His android reflexes and incredible combat skill made mincemeat of the few bandits brave enough to attack him. He cleaved a path through the unwashed horde, headed for the leader. Just then, a mousy looking man standing to the side of the leader hit him with a Zonde spell. The bolt was fairly weak, but the sparking traces of electricity found a weak spot in his armor and short-circuited his movement system.

_Damn! A short circuit, now. It'll take a while for my system to restart. They're closing in. This could be bad. Damnable fleshbags. When I get up, they are going to find new definitions for that worthless sensation they call pain._

Convinced that he was harmless, the leering bandits closed in for the kill...

Brom was the result of scientists trying to create an android capable of using techniques.Their first effort involved fusing a Psycho Wand to an android, and electrically activating the Psycho Wand. The techniques used were random, thought the Psycho Wand's powerful energy emanations soon corrupted the android. It also became impossible to remove the Wand from the android.

After it was determined that he was unsuitable for the purposes of the experiment,he was deactivated and relegated to the scrap heap. It was assumed that he was useless, as the Psycho Wand corrupted his programming. Anyone that found him would be unable to glean any information from him, as his memory was wiped and the Psycho Wand was unremovable. He had been written out of the pages of history, but fate seemed to intervene.The Psycho Wand cast Reverser and revived him. He went into hiding, wishing to both avoid his masters and increase his own combat potential. The Psycho Wand had corrupted his programming, both making him extremely contemptible of humans and giving him a desire to become stronger. As a result of this, he disguised himself with synthflesh and became a mercenary. Soon after, he joined Eriror. 

The Psycho Wand had seemingly shaped his destiny with it's random casting of techniques, almost as if it had a mind of its own. It awakened once again, and the crest that would normally be on top of the wand began glowing, embedded in his chest as it was. As the bandits raised their weapons, the Psycho Wand went off, exterminating them with a blast of Rafoie. Their charred corpses fell to the ground, and the temporary paralysis of the short-circuit passed seconds later.

As he got to his feet, he looked around. The remaining townspeople were slowly coming out of hiding, gazing at him with a mixture of awe and more than a little fear. His human disguise was completely gone, and the bare green and white plating of his armor was clearly visible. _I hope I don't have to slaughter these mindless peons as well. I might need their help, but if they get uppity I'll be happy to overlook that. I'm tired of dealing with these worthless fleshbags._

One of the townspeople spoke up. "Thank you, kind sir, for saving our village. We would have all died if you had not come along. Consider yourself an honored guest, sir android."

_What...the...hell? I just slaughtered around fifty people. If it was any less, I'd be a mass-murderer. Now, I'm a 'hero'? These slowly rotting meatsacks are so illogical..._

Sana and Nichole were leading him back to the village inn. As about half the homes in the village were burned down, the innkeeper decided to let the villagers stay for free. Nichole helped Brom repair a cut in his armor that one of the bandits got in. It was a death spasm, but the man was surprisingly strong. He had slashed Brom right before he had his heart crushed. Apparently having a hole punched into the torso was extremely painful for humans. Nichole helped him apply a patch to his shoulder.

"What are you going to do now, Mr. Brom? Will you try to find your friend?"

"Yes, most likely. I just need to find some transportation. The bandits destroyed the Ice Digger, apparently."

"Ok. We'll do everything we can to help you. We owe you owe you our lives."

_Perhaps helping these meatsacks can be profitable after all...Sage, I'll find you eventually._

Sage gazes into the mirror. Staring back at him is the figure of a very, very old man. Looking down, he sees that his hands are gnarled and worn. 

"I'm...old. What happened?"

"Time works rather differently in the Room of Trials. Though only an hour passed in the real world, and it seemed to you that only an hour passed, that is not how you experienced time in the Room." Jadrek explained. "It took you sixty years to resolve all of your problems. The room kept you energized and fed, and altered your perception of time. For every year of soul-searching you did, you experienced a single minute of time."

"How is that possible?"

"We do not know, exactly. There are some mysteries that even the Espers cannot decipher. You have taken the longest of any of the previous heirs to Lutz to prove your worth, but you are also the only one to have completely defeated the Doppelganger Orb. You realized that although you have great power, your true strength lies in the bonds you can create with others."

"So, did my body really age 60 years? I may not survive to fight Zionus..."

"Do not worry. The effect is temporary. I would suggest you enjoy it. The mantle of Lutz, once assumed, will make you eternally youthful. It freezes your physical age at what it is when you assume the power. You are not immortal, but you will never age. You can be killed, but not by 'natural causes'. Only when you find your successor can you be released, and live out a normal life. Are you prepared to pay this price? Are you prepared to see all the ones you love wither and die, while you remain eternally youthful?"

Sage pondered for a moment. "If I don't help stop Zionus, no one will ever be allowed to age and die in peace. The universe will be his playhouse, and people his puppets. If I have to give up my old-age pension, and the ability to set in a chair and tell boring stories, so be it. I may not live long enough to see everyone get old and die anyway. Let's do this..."

"You are surprisingly flippant. Are you sure you are ready?"

"Yes, I'm sure." 

"Then, follow me. But first... let's return you to your proper form." Jadrek cast Anti, and Sage was restored to his normal age. He then led Sage down the stone staircase, into a room with a glowing crystal orb set upon an ornate pedestal. Frozen seemingly inside the crystal was a beautiful, yet simple golden circlet."This is the telepathy orb. Reach inside and claim the Circlet of Lutz. Then the power will be yours."

Sage approached the pedestal with trepidation. He hesitated for a moment, then reached out. As his hands touched the crystal, a soothing voice spoke in his mind.

_I am Lutz. I am the leader of the Espers. You are the one who is deemed worthy. I grant you permission to become my heir, Jonas Sage. Grasp the circlet, and take control of your destiny._

Sage did as he was instucted. The crystal turned to liquid, allowing his hands through. Miraculously, other than the waves caused by his hands, the orb retained it's shape. As he grasped the circlet, it felt strangely warm. He removed it from the orb, and raised it to his head.

Pushing it down over his temples, he felt a slight pulse of warmth. Seconds later, he fell to the ground as his mind was overwhelmed by the influx of several millennium's worth of wisdom, knowledge and memories.

Standing, the crown radiated a faint glow, then seemed to fade into his forehead. "Wow...what a rush. My telepathy is multiplied a thousand-fold. And all the knowledge...it's like the answers to every question I ever had suddenly came to me in a flash of insight. This is...amazing."

His newfound senses detected a sudden surge of darkness on Ragol. "Um...Jadrek. We have a problem. It feels as if Dark Falz has returned to Ragol."

Jadrek stared at him incredulously for a second, then responded. "How do you know, Honorable Lutz?"

"First off...it's still Sage. Secondly, the crown is greatly boosting my telepathy. Lutz recognizes this aura, these thoughts. Do you have a way of observing what's happening on Ragol?"

"Yes, honorab- Sage. Lutz has not had an heir in years, and does not know of the changes we have installed. Follow me, please."

It was unnecessary. Sage could sense what was happening on Ragol as if he was watching it himself. It gave him a cold feeling of fear in the pit of his stomach.

Inside his mind, he heard the voice of Lutz speak once again._The darkness has returned. Yet perhaps this time, it can save us from the corruption of the light. We will have to wait and see..._

Meanwhile, on Ragol...

The timer on the lab's self destruct reads 1:15 remaining. Ayame feels very cold. There is a searing pain in her chest, and what little warmth she had left in her body seems to be slowly leaking out.

_So, I guess this is what it's like to die. It feels...funny. It hurts, yet it's also kinda peaceful. It's like falling asleep. _

Ayame closes her eyes, and resigns herself to death. _I'm too drained to do anything, anyway... not even a Resta. And Reverser can't fix this. I just wish I could save Uncle X. I know he didn't want to stab me. He looked like it hurt him. I'm so...tired of people hurting him! All he ever wanted to do was help people, but the bad guys always target him. It's not fair!_

As her anger builds, she begins to feel very hot. When she opens her eyes, the room is a red haze. _I feel...funny. What's happening?!_ She can feel her heart beginning to pound, and her breathing speeds up of all a sudden. A dark power is welling up inside of her.

A voice speaks inside her head:_ Rest now, my weaker self. You've done a good job of keeping this body alive, and getting them to release the blocks, but your time is over. I shall be reborn!_

Ayame briefly questions where the voice came from, but she is too weak to really care. Her head is hurting even worse than her chest, and her heart is pounding. Each beat of her heart sends spasms of painful pressure through her body. A strange feeling of pleasure underlies it all, however. Her body feels extremely hot. Her last thought is of X, as her consciousness spirals into a hole in the back of her mind.

The timer reads 1:00. If anyone was there to see what was happening to Ayame, they would witness an amazing transformation. Her body begins to glow with a dull purple energy. It levitates off the ground, and sparks of purple lightning emanate off of it. Her body seemingly turns to a pillar of energy for a split second, before a wave of energy sweeps through the lab.

As the wave subsides, she is rotated forward. Her body is glowing with an ominous red aura, and the hair that falls forward to cover her face is dark red. Through the curtain of hair, her eyes glow a disturbing ice blue. She is lowered to a kneeling position on the ground, and the aura subsides. She stands, and begins to laugh, a sultry,almost mocking laugh that echoes throughout the abandoned laboratory.

The timer reads 0:45 seconds as Danielle begins to glow with an immense purple aura. Black, feathered wings sprout from her back, and she starts to hover, held aloft by the pure power of darkness coursing through her body. Her conduit has awakened, at last...

Danielle focuses power for a split-second, then sends out a wave of energy that cripples the self-destruct sequence.

**Hmph... if this place is going to blow up, I'm going to be the one to do it. They locked me inside that kid for so long. Luckily, she was a conduit. Not only do I have my own tech powers to play with, but also the infinite power of darkness to draw on. This is going to be fun...** She starts laughing again, placing a hand over her mouth. Yes, the patented laugh. This can never be good.

Danielle flies out of the lab, then begins to hover high above it. Lucca and Hahn see a purple streak, then a glowing dot high in the artificial sky of Pioneer 2.

"Hahn, what's that?"

"I have no clue. I hope Ayame's ok. The self-destruct is going to go off soon."

They see the distant figure begin to glow more brightly. Up in the sky, Danielle is holding her hands close together, seemingly charging up a powerful attack. Her hands begin to emit black energy, and a halo that seems made of shadow grows in front of her. She adds power to it, channeling purest darkness into the attack. As she draws one hand back, the halo follows as if attached, and floats above her hand. Flinging her hand down lazily, she yells "Mega Demon Roar!" The black halo of energy shrieks towards the lab at an incredible pace. It penetrates through the ceiling and slams into the floor before exploding. A rising, ever-expanding dome of dark energy consumes the lab, utterly leveling it.

**Well, now they can't contain me anymore. I just need to find X and kill him, then I can really begin playing. His conduit seems to be blocked, but he's still hogging some of the power.**

Danielle flies up a bit higher, then opens her mind to scan for X. Soon enough, she finds the familiarly blank presence of her 'uncle', and swoops down on him. He was headed towards a teleporter, apparently back to Zionus' lair.

She swoops down and lands next to him, in between his path and the teleporter.** Hello, uncle. I really don't like it when you stab me. It's entirely inappropriate. However, I should be glad you set me free. As a reward, you get a free horrible death. Even your pathetic link to that 'god' Zionus isn't going to save you. I wield the true power of darkness!**

Zionus feels the massive surge of darkness, and for the first time since his resurrection is afraid. **_That girl...I should have killed her when she was a child. X may not be able to stop her. I don't wish to lose my favorite weapon yet. I'll have to get him out of there._**

Ayame's flurry of rapid-fire Demon Roars hits only air, as Zionus warps X out of harm's way in a flash of light.

**Dammit! Zionus, I'm gonna kill you for that. He was mine. Oh well, I can kill him later. There's all these innocent people to play with just laying around. Maybe some indiscriminate slaughter will make me feel better.**

She flies off, looking for a large concentration of people to attack. Random passerby on the streets are blasted with her Demon Roar attack, but at least their deaths are fairly painless. Utter incineration is nothing compared to what she is truly capable of. Flying around, she soon comes to a large building with glowing signs. Tables with umbrellas are scattered around a gazebo outside, and people seem to be dining casually. When they observe the dark being flying towards them, most are intelligent enough to run away screaming. The few foolish enough to loiter are slain with various energy attacks.

Danielle stops in front of the eatery, observing the garish neon sign. **_The Imperial Wok, huh? Maybe I'll get lucky and get to kill JiEin too. He always did get on my nerves. Almost as much of a buzzkill as X._**

The front side of The Imperial Wok is blasted into oblivion by a two handed Demon Roar. Danielle floats inside, firing off energy blasts at random spots, reveling in the destruction. She is approached by a tall, black and red Hucast holding a wok in one hand and a ladle in another.

"Excuse me, but you seem to be lost. The place for pointless destruction of my life's work is down the road. This is ' I'm going to beat you down for frightening my customers."

JiEin barely avoids the Demon Roar Danielle sends screaming at him. It hits a sign behind him with an image of JiEin holding a wok. The sign said "Voted Pioneer's Secksiest Eatery, two years in a row." Danielle's blast blows the sign apart, and continues into the kitchen behind it, where it detonates. The kitchen staff had managed to evacuate, but JiEin was in a bit of trouble...

JiEin is in a bit of a predicament. Even at his peak, he would have had difficulty surviving against this glowing purple hellion. As part of the agreement he had with the Pioneer 2 government, he was allowed to retire and open his restaurant as long as he consented to have his fighting abilities blocked. If he raises a hand to anything even vaguely humanoid, he gets shut down. He truly is powerless at the moment.

Danielle raises a hand lazily and begins gathering purple energy into it. **You know, JiJi... I never really did like you. You were always so stuffy and pushy. You were uptight even for an android. My alter-ego loved you, but then again she was a mindless brat. Do you have any idea what it's like to be trapped in a never-ending children's show? It's a damned nightmare! It's the worst possible torture anyone could possibly come up with. And I got it because I had a little fun...Can you play with me, JiJi?**

_Why does she sound so familiar? If I didn't know better, I'd swear it was Ayame. Oh well, I can worry about that later.I need to get out of here..._

Saying this, she releases the ball of energy, allowing it to float in the air, like purple ball lightning. **Here's the deal, JiJi. If you can escape the rather massive explosion this is going to cause, you get to live, and will be the 'winner'.. If you can't...you lose. It's really quite simple. However, I have to even things out a bit...**

Pointing a finger at his legs, she fires a beam akin to a Pilla wave, yet much narrower. It is reflected by his wok, bouncing off to hit the ceiling. The wok begins to melt, the metal slumping inward as if dipped in acid. JiEin drops it with a muffled curse. There is a large hole in the wall that the Pilla beam hit.

**You . My first cool new attack that doesn't involve explosions, and you had to it up. I hate you.Let's try something different, then.** Gathering more of the ubiquitous dark energy that flows through her, she fired several quick beams of energy at the fleeing JiEin.

_I have to retreat. I'm in no shape to fight her right now. Perhaps I should contact that Resistance. I didn't really care about Zionus' ranting at first, since it didn't affect my customers. However, I was mistaken...aah!_

One of Danielle's beams hit JiEin in the knee, penetrating through it and leaving a slagged over hole behind.

**There, that's better. Now it's fair. This orb will explode soon, so you might wanna start running. Or limping, more likely. Toodles.**

Danielle turned and flew to a safe distance to watch the sparks. She telekinetically grabbed one of the abandoned noodle bowls on the table, and a pair of chopsticks. As she settled down to watch her handiwork, she began noshing.

**_Wow, these are pretty good. It's a shame he's going to die in about a minute. These are sublime. Needs more pepper, though..._**

Danielle finished her noodles, then casually tossed the bowl to the ground. Before it could shatter, she'd blasted it into fine powder with an energy beam.

**_Oh, I forgot. JiEin, if he can move fast enough, could walk straight through the front door. I don't think he realizes that's cheating, so I'll have to remind him of the rules. That death orb should explode in another minute or so..._**

Turning to face the shattered front of the Imperial Wok, she fired off a Demon Roar at the entrance. Her carefully aimed attack caused the upper part of the building's front to collapse downward, covering the front door in a shower of debris.

**_That's better. Now, to enjoy the show. But first... all this hair is annoying._** Purifying thee chopsticks with a purple flame, she twisted her hair up into a bun and impaled it with the stolen chopsticks.**_Ah, that's better. Now the show really starts. I hope JiEin screams when he dies. I know androids don't usually do that, but his death should be horrible enough to warrant it._**

Crossing her arms lazily, she floated in front of JiEin's doomed restaurant.

Inside, JiEin was limping towards a hidden door in the kitchen. Suddenly, the front of the store blew up, showering the main entrance in debris._She really does want me dead. I have to get in touch with the Resistance. I would contact the government, but since they're under Zionus' control, there's not much they can do. I should've realized this would happen sooner. Luckily, that little hellion doesn't know about my delivery entrance. Time to go._

JiEin went as fast as he could towards the delivery entrance, calculating as he went the cost of the wanton destruction visited upon his life's work. _That girl is going to pay once I get my blocks removed. She hurt a lot of innocent people, too. Looks like my Guardian days aren't over after all..._ He made it to the kitchen, leaning on a table leg as he dragged his damaged leg behind him. Just as he stepped out of the service entrance and made it to the teleporter behind it, the death orb went off. The restaurant blew with a blinding flash of purple light, and JiEin was nearly knocked down by the blast wave even at fifty feet away. _That girl has far too much power for her own good._

JiEin picked himself off the ground and walked into the teleporter, setting the coordinates for the closest medical center. He wouldn't get far until he could get his leg repaired.

On the other side of the destroyed building, Danielle was floating with a look of satisfaction on her face. **_That was fun. I need to find more stuff to blow up. JiJi may have survived that, but if he did...oh well. I can kill him later._** She floated off to find more worthy places for her destructive talents.

Danielle began flying higher and higher, heading to a better vantage point to scope out more targets. As she flew along, the wind whipping her hair, she spotted a large, garishly-lit entertainment complex.

**_Ah, that'll be perfect. There's bound to be plenty of people inside for me to play with._**

Landing, she walked into an brightly lit electronic hell. Lights were flashing, music was blaring and various people were playing video games. Sighing, she invoked darkness and began raining destruction on them. **"Hello, everyone. I'm Danielle, and I'm going to be your executioner today. Please put up a good show before you die, thanks."**

She fired off a Demon Roar at a teenager who was playing some rhythmic dancing game. The machine began to emit a series of loud noises and bright flashes of light as he apparently made some sort of accomplishment on it. Right as he raised his hands in triumph, the dark halo of energy hit him full force, dropping him to his knees in a flash of dark energy. His death screams echoed for a few seconds before his disintegrating body faded to embers.

A mass panic ensued, as the remaining customers began to mill about, screaming in terror. Danielle charged up energy and started firing off huge purple beams of energy that melted whatever they touched, flesh or machine. The huge area of the beams combined with the tight confines of the arcade led to a horrific death toll. She only stopped when the remaining survivors had no room to run, hemmed in by slagged equipment and the bodies of their fellows. **_This is why Ayame should've taken up playing videogames. It's fun to blast stuff. I wonder if I got the high score?_**

She began to laugh as the few frightened survivors rushed for the exit. Unfortunately for them, she was in their path. Placing one hand over her mouth in the patented laugh, she formed one of her detonatable death orbs and released it with a flick of her wrist. The glowing purple orb levitated, and moved towards the center of the room.

She addressed the crowd. **"I want some entertainment. Perhaps you can give it to me. If you can escape before this orb explodes, your pathetic lives will be spared. However...since you like games so much, I'm putting it on the 'extra hard' difficulty. Don't try to go out the front door, because that's cheating. And as for the emergency exit..."** A quick blast of energy welded the door shut, passing over the heads of the frightened patrons.** "Enjoy your game, peoples. I have stuff to do. Good luck."**

Danielle turned and flew towards the exit. As she made it outside, she whirled and blasted the doors with a beam, welding them shut. She could see the frightened faces of the patrons as she backed up to a safe distance. Suddenly, a strange feeling came over her. She sensed Ayame's presence.**_ Maybe I shouldn't kill these people... they did nothing to me. I need to find the ones who really hurt me._** Cancelling the death orb with a wave of her hand, she flew off to find X, leaving the arcade patrons trapped inside the building.

Flying off, the sudden attack of conscience passed. She let loose a flurry of Demon Roars at the arcade, leveling it. She was laughing again as she flew off into the night sky.

JiEin had decided not to go to the Medical Center. _It's far too obvious. She knows I'm damaged, she'll expect me to go there. I should probably go home. Perhaps Elly can help me contact the Resistance._

Walking into his apartment, he was met by his roommate, Elly. "So, JiEin, how were things at the restaurant? Oh, you're hurt! What happened?"

"Some crazy, purple-glowing little hellion floated into the place and started blasting everything, out of nowhere. I have no idea who it was, or why she did it. But the government doesn't seem to be doing anything to stop it."

"I haven't heard anything over the official news channels about it." Just then, the viewscreen on the wall chimed.

"This just in. A superpowered being is apparently traveling around Pioneer 2, causing random destruction. She has destroyed three buildings, and caused massive miscellaneous property damage. The death toll is unknown, but is estimated at several dozen people. Citizens are warned to stay indoors, and to evacuate immediately if she approaches."

"Oh, that sounds like her. She blasted me in the leg, and left me in a room with some sort of energy time-bomb. It was like some kind of sick game to her."

"Ji, that's awful. And with the Zionus crisis, the military doesn't have that many resources to commit to stopping her. Perhaps we should contact the Resistance."

"That's exactly what I was thinking. But first, I need to repair my leg. I'm not exactly at the height of mobility right now."

"Ok, I'll help you. Let me get the toolkit." Ten minutes later, JiEin's leg had been repaired by a combination of Elly's technological wizardry and a handy Trimate.

"Elly, do you know how to contact that Labyrinth guy?"

"Yes, I'll log on and contact him right now. We should be able to meet with him tonight, if you like."

Elly walked into her room, and began attempting to contact Labyrinth. JiEin walked from his chair in the kitchen and sat on the couch._ It's like whenever X isn't around, all hell breaks loose. At least if he was here, he'd be arrogantly charging one of the two villains, attacking them in a near-suicidal headlong rush. Without him, it's been kind of uneventful. I need to get in touch with him. I wonder how that 'top-secret' mission to investigate those ruins with the archivist went?_ JiEin began to flip through channels as Elly worked her magic. He settled on a kung-fu movie, and sat back to watch.

Lucca and Hahn had almost made it back to the Resistance's headquarters when they were stopped by none other than Labyrinth himself.

"Hello, we have a bit of a problem. What happened at the laboratory?"

"Ayame was created there. This is her creator. Zionus' troops attacked, and she stayed behind to stop them. Where's Leah?"

"She's inside. Apparently there's another super-powered being running around blowing up stuff. It started about an hour ago."

"What type of being? Is it a girl with red hair?" Hahn asked, a look of dread upon his face.

"Reports say that it is a red-haired girl with black wings. She appears to have tremendous energy-manipulation abilities, and no mercy."

"Oh no! Danielle has awakened...what have I done?" Hahn said, a look of utmost turmoil on his face.

"Perhaps we should go inside and discuss this, Mr. Hahn. You might want to look at the reports before jumping to any conclusions..." Labyrinth said, as he turned towards the Resistance base.

"There is no need. I know exactly what happened. That girl is Danielle, the first product of the Loranna Project. Her genetic material was used to create Ayame.She was sealed inside Ayame's body, her powers controlled by a series of blocks. We planned to release the blocks gradually, but Zionus forced our hand. We thought that Ayame was strong enough to resist her genetic evil half, but I suppose we were wrong. And...tests showed that Ayame is a conduit for the Profound Darkness. Danielle is powerful on her own, but with that ability added to hers, she will be nearly invincible. All is lost..."

"Let's go inside. We must formulate a plan to deal with this." Labyrinth went inside, followed rapidly by Lucca and the remorseful Hahn.

Danielle is wandering around the city, taking pot shots at anything that sounds appealing. She comes upon a dance club, and decides to go closer to check it out. People are now fleeing at her mere presence, regardless of if she's blown anything up in the vicinity. **_Hmm...I guess the word's gotten out that I'm dangerous. But idiots cavorting in a club wouldn't know that. I can have fun in there. I just need to hide the wings._** Landing, she made her wings recede with but a thought, and clamped down on the aura surrounding her.

She walked inside, ushered inside by the large man standing at the door. He had leered at her, but a quick telepathic command had him stepping aside. Walking into the dim lighting of the club, she ran headlong into a rather large, rather intoxicated man. He stood at least a foot and a half taller than her, and his biceps were as big as her waist. A glass of some foul-smelling liquid was spilled on her.

"Hey, watch it-" She was cut off by the man letting out a bellow of rage.

"You little ! You made me spill my drink."

**"That's because you're a blind oaf that's almost as clumsy as his mother was ugly!" **Danielle was dripping with Lily-juice extract, a powerful intoxicant that had been first formulated after the pacification of Ragol. It was disgusting, and the smell was not helping her temper any.

"You're pretty uppity for a wench. How about you come home with me, and learn some manners?" The drunken buffoon grabbed at her chest, and she hastily dodged his outstretched arm, countering with a kick to his stomach. His eyes watered, but he recovered quickly. He apparently wasn't all worthless.

The beefy man countered with a punch to the face that didn't even budge Danielle. From the looks of it, it would have shattered a normal human's skull.

**"Alright, now you die! People as stupid as you shouldnt' be allowed to live anyway."** Channelling dark energy, her wings burst from her back and the ubiquitous purple aura flared up around her. Catching his ham-sized fist in her left hand, she pulled it down fiercely as she delivered a swift roundhouse kick to his spine with her right leg. The telekinetically enhanced blow resounded with a loud crack, and the man's body immediately went limp.

He screamed in pain as he slumped to the floor. " made me a cripple! Someone help" he cried, with a wild look of abject terror in his eyes. He was only held off the floor by Danielle's tenacious grip on his wrist. The first of his companions to step forward was immediately blasted into atoms with a powerful energy beam. Ayame dragged the now paralyzed man out the door as she fired off a series of five death orbs.

As she exited the building, she welded the doors together with a mere though. The screams of trapped people were soon drowned out by a series of multiple explosions that utterly obliterated the building.

Ayame flew higher, charging up more energy. Turning to her terrified captive, she laughed in his face.

**"Next time you try to pick up a girl, be more suave and less of a horrible genetic mistake, ok? The best part of you was obviously spilled on the filthy sheets of whatever miserable little hovel you were spawned in. Now prepare to die."**

Raising the man so he was eye level with her, suspended in mid-air, she mended his spine with dark energy. Keeping him telepathically immobilized, she relished the look of fear in his eyes. **I really liked the cracking noise your spine made when I broke it. So, I'm going to do it again. "**

She lifted him like a ragdoll with one hand, then exerted her telepathic might with the other. She created a wall of force on the top and bottom of his body, then brought them together, compressing his spine like an accordion til it shattered with several sickening crunching sounds. Fueling him with dark energy to keep him alive, she began firing Demon Roars at him at point blank range, keeping him alive until the last possible second by infusing him with energy. When she was finished, she flung his corpse to the ground and utterly destroyed his remains with a massive two-handed Demon Roar that leveled everything within a hundred feet around him.

Sated for the moment, she flew off, looking for a new amusement.

Zionus was lounging on his throne as he pondered what to do about the recent awakening of a new conduit.**_ This girl is powerful. If she learns how to use her powers, she could be a major threat. I'll send X after her one last time. His hesitation is based on his extreme will. He always manages to disobey my commands. No matter, after the facility is completed I will no longer need him. I'll send him after her. If he succeeds and kills her, I am well rid of her. If she kills him, I will no longer have to worry about his disobedience. He is the only one that could teach her to use her powers..._**

"X! Go, and finish the job you have failed me at twice before. Kill that girl. I command it!"

X, who had been forced to kneel before Zionus' throne by the mind control he was under, turned and walked towards the teleporter.

Eriror, who was watching the scene, turned to Zionus and bowed. Rising at Zionus' approval, he began to speak.

"My lord, X does not seem to be a true believer. I do not believe that he will be able to slay the demon if he does not have true faith in you. Should I send of my troopers with him, oh holy one?"

**"I understand your concerns, Eriror. Send your troopers. How is the facility coming?"**

"It is at fifty percent completion now, and the special capsule whose creation you decreed is being built now. The genetic samples from the subject were taken as per your orders, and the clone is being force-grown now."

**"Excellent, Eriror. With the completion of the facility, I will be able to remake the world in my image. I can cleanse the world of humanity's taint, and usher in a new golden age."**

"I, your humble servant thank you for saving me. I will live my life for your glory, my Lord."

Eriror left to oversee the construction of Zionus' new reeducation center. There the worthy would be transferred to new, stronger bodies to fulfill his decrees. As he was leaving, he ordered two squads of troopers to follow X. _I can only hope X sees the light and is saved. He will not be able to defeat the demon girl otherwise._

Meanwhile, Danielle is floating through the city, killing everything she sees. She was disconcerted by the encounter at the club, and rather distressed about her attack of conscience at the arcade. **_Why did I hesitate? I have the power to dominate these people. They all need to pay for abandoning me. So why do I feel like they don't deserve to be killed? They are the people that helped create a weapon out of me, then got scared when I was good at what I did. Well, not those exact people, but people like them... It's not like any one of them actually has the decency to care about anyone. Especially me. Ah, well...time to blow up some more stuff._ **

The first thing that caught her eye was a large building with a stylized blue logo on it. It read Son- big gaping hole-am after she fired off a humongous Demon Roar at it. As the terrified people streamed out onto the streets, she began firing. She wasn't using her vaporization beams at this point, as she had decided that shooting people full of bleeding holes was more fun. Her beams were highly focused concentrations of Dark Energy.

The first casualty of this new killing spree was a short, balding man in a labcoat. The last thought that ran through his mind was _At last, I've perfected it. The triple save. Now players can restart their careers at twice the rate. I'm a gen-_ At that point, Danielle's beam hit him in the back of the head, penetrating straight through. As he didn't fall over immediately, she began pumping Demon Roars at him. When she was finished, the entire block was a wasteland.

**_Hmm... I didn't have that nagging feeling of guilt when I blasted that one. I wonder why. It sucks that most of the others got away while I was killing him, but at least he's really dead. He looked...shifty. I feel better now, so time for more fun!_**

In Resistance Headquarters Labyrinth, Leah, Lucca, Hahn and Dante had been joined by JiEin and Elly. After introductions were made, they settled down to plan a course of action.

JiEin spoke first. "Do you have a plan for taking out that glowing purple hellion? The government doesn't seem to be doing much. She wrecked my restaurant, and killed many people."

Labyrinth replied. "We're working on it. How were you able to fare against her in combat?"

"I wasn't able to tell. As a condition of my retirement, I had blocks placed on me that keep me from being in any way aggressive towards anything even remotely humanoid. If I so much as strongly push someone, I go into automatic shutdown, and have to be reactivated."

"Ah, yes. I had one of those too. And if you are very quick, you can get in one hit before the auto-shudown takes effect."

"Hmm...that's interesting. How were you able to get yours removed?"

"Lucca and Dante here. Would you like them to help you out?"

"That would be good, seeing as how I'm of little use in combat right now. And my prior programming is tempting me to leap in front of her beams to protect people. It's a bit irritating."

Lucca and Dante stood, ushering JiEin to sit. "We'll be back with the necessary tools in a few minutes. It doesn't take long, and there's no lasting damage. Consider it a gift for joining us."

They left, and the meeting continued. Leah spoke. "So, where did this girl come from? It seems as if she's a conduit, but I know that the only conduits are X, Neifirst and Zio. X is captured, that's not Neifirst, and Zio is now Zionus. So who is she? And where's Ayame...?"

Hahn spoke. "The girl, Danielle...is Ayame. It's Ayame's other self. And Ayame is a conduit, also. She was just never able to use her powers because of the genetic blocks on her more negative emotions." At Leah's look of shock, he looked downward in shame.

"What the hell did you do to her?!" Leah said, jumping from her seat to grab Hahn and shake him violently.

Labyrinth answered her question, as Hahn was having a bit of trouble breathing. "Ayame was the product of something called the Loranna Project, designed to create the ultimate technique user. A previous product was Danielle. She lost control of her powers and went on a rampage. She was killed, but her genetic material was used to create Ayame. Something about the way she died enabled her to somehow retain her memories and personality inside Ayame. When the blocks built into Ayame's powers were released, Danielle was freed. When Ayame was weakened, Danielle took over. Danielle has no qualms about using the power of the conduit."

Leah released Hahn, who took several seconds to regain his breath. "We did it to allow Ayame to grow up and use her full powers. Zionus would have destroyed the lab, dooming Ayame to be forever trapped as a child, and forever limited. The blocks on her powers also stunted both her physical and emotional growth. That is why she was still a child even at 16. I treated her like a daughter. I do not wish any harm to come to her. I would like to help force Danielle back into dormancy. The problem is that Danielle is a much stronger personality than Ayame. We must drain her energy and help Ayame take back control."

Leah regained her seat, and glowered at Hahn. _He looks so downtrodden. Perhaps he is sincere..._ "So, how do we plan to do this? If she really does have the power of a conduit, she's basically an angsty teenager with the powers of a goddess. That's not a good combination..."

Elly spoke for the first time as Dante and Lucca reentered the room. "I've been watching the news broadcasts from my laptop. X and Zionus' troops are attacking Danielle."

JiEin was being worked on by Lucca and Dante, the paneling on the back of his head being opened with power tools. "Do you think Mr. Suicidal Rush can actually defeat her?"

Labyrinth seemed to ponder for a moment before responding. "No, I don't think so. However, they can weaken her. That will be our chance. Hahn, Leah, JiEin and with me. I can weaken her so Hahn can do whatever he needs to do. You two know Ayame, so you can help strengthen her."

Dante, who was helping Lucca remove JiEin's limiter, suddenly slumped for a second. When he spoke, his voice sounded rather odd. "Well, it seems like I've missed a lot of information."

On Dezolis, Jadrek, Sage, Lissandra and Yokote are in the Esper's monitoring room. They have been watching Danielle's rampage the entire time. Watching the meeting, Sage decided to step in. As Dante was the most familiar mind available to him, he established contact with him. _Wow, the power boost I got from fusing with Lutz was amazing. That, and the fact that I'm no longer blocking myself lets me do a lot more. Too bad I'm going to have to take over Dante's mind until he acknowledges me. It's so difficult talking to people with no telepathic gift. If I wasn't fused with Lutz at this point, I wouldn't be able to do this..._

Inside Dante's head, he is willing himself to be able to talk. _Why can't I talk? And why does my head feel all funny?_

"Dante, it's Sage. I had to take over your mind for a split second, until you realized it's me. I'm still on Dezolis."

"Sage, how the hell are you doing this? And why do you feel so much more powerful? I can feel the power surging through you through the mindlink."

"It's a long story. Basically, I'm the heir to the ancient power of Lutz. It gives me all sorts of new abilities. Anyway... I think I can help with your recent problems."

"Ok...but how are you doing? Will you be able to defeat Zionus? And when are you coming back?"

"It's quicker to just show you. Here's what's happened."

A flurry of images passed through Dante's head. He saw Sage do battle with the Doppelganger, meet the Espers and gain Lutz's power.

_"Hmm...so Dezolis is snowy, eh? Sounds cool. How's that hot girl you met?"_

"Lissandra? She's fine."

"Oh. Have you hooked up with her yet?"

"Dante! I've been kinda busy trying to save us from Zionus. That really is all you can think about."

"Heh, you gotta make time sometime, man. Anyway, will you let me talk now?"

"Yes. Your head will feel funny because I'm using you as a link to follow the conversation. Anything I tell you, you need to relay to them. Don't fight the connection, OK?"

"Ok. Make with the plan, already. And...I'm glad you're safe. I was kinda worried letting your weak ass go on your own, but Jessie would've killed me if I left."

"Thanks. And yeah...I'm quite a bit stronger now. Anyway, I'm releasing my control, but maintaining the link."

Dante was released from Sage's control, and explained what happened.

Dante spoke with his normal voice again as he and Lucca closed up the paneling on JiEin's head.

"That was Sage. He's on Dezolis, and he's about to go looking for the thing that can help us defeat Zionus. But he says that he may be able to help us stop Danielle."

Lucca turned to Dante with a smile on her face. "So, he's doing well. That's good to hear. Hopefully he can find what he's looking for soon."

Leah addressed Dante. "Isn't Sage the archivist guy that was teaching Ayame how to use her powers?"

"Yeah, he is. He says that if we can drain Danielle's energy, he might be able to telepathically calm her down while strengthening Ayame."

"He can do that?" JiEin asked.

"Yeah, apparently he gained a lot of power by becoming the 'heir' for that Lutz person."

"Very well. It seems like my combat abilities are unlocked, so let's get ready to go."

"Labyrinth, are we ready to go?" Lucca asked, as she set down the tool kit.

"Yes, I believe so. Dante, do you want to go with us, or can Sage 'ride along' in Leah or Lucca's head?"

"He says he can 'jump' to either of them. I'm going to stay here. I've got to work on the new training simulator for the new members, if we want them to be at any kind of real fighting effectiveness."

"Very well. Leah, Lucca, do either of you want to let Sage hitch a ride in your heads?"

Leah spoke, as Lucca looked rather hesitant. "Sure, I'll do it. If he tries to somehow mentally cop a feel or something, I'll kill him. Just to let him know."

Lucca gazed at Leah with a look of relief on her face._I trust Sage, but I don't want him riding in my head. There's stuff in there I don't want to let anyone know. For one...I still feel bad about leaving the military._

"OK, Leah. He's contacting you now."

On Dezolis, Sage broke the link. Before he established contact with Leah, he spoke to the gathered Espers.

"The Resistance is attempting to stop the manifestation of the Darkness. I'm going to help them. Try not to bump me, or anything."

"Yes, Honored Lu- Sage." Jadrek replied.

"Sure, Sage. We're here if you need any help." Lissandra said, settling down to a more comfortable seat.

Yokote nodded his assent, the leaned on one of the consoles as Sage seated himself in a large, comfortable chair Jadrek made appear.

_Ok, now to contact Leah._ Casting a mental probe into the infinite cosmos, he began searching for the mind of the eye-patched Hunewearl. After a few seconds, he found her and gently made contact.

Leah felt an tickling sensation at the back of her head, then a calm voice in her mind spoke.

_"Hello, I'm Sage. You are Leah, right?"_

'Yes. Don't go prying into my memories, or anything. I'll gut you if you do..."

"Relax. I'm not that rude.'

"Good to hear. I'm used to X, so..."

"Heh, it's alright. How well do you know Ayame?"

"Fairly well. She's like a niece to X and I."

_"That's fortunate. You and JiEin are going to have to talk to her and encourage her. I have to try and calm down Danielle."_

"Let me get this straight. You want us to **talk **to a girl that according to Hahn, hates us. She has the power of a god, and isn't afraid to use it. Wow, your plans are almost as effective as X's. How could anything **possibly **go wrong?"

"It'll be okay. I believe X is about to attack her, and that'll drain her of energy. She's probably just scared and frightened. I know a thing or two about being given a power you never wanted..."

"I can feel what you are feeling. Is that normal? You felt so sad when you mentioned that..."

"Yes, it's normal. And yes, it does make me sad. Before I learned how to control my powers, people got hurt. I was hated and feared, and it made me hate people in general. I think I can understand what she's going through."

"Hmm...well that'll come in handy. We're about to leave, so I'm gonna stop thinking at you and go."

"What, you can't think and walk at the same time?"

"Watch it. That threat to gut you still stands."

"Haha, ok. I'll be quiet and watch."

Leah followed Labyrinth, JiEin and Lucca outside to a teleporter.

"Labyrinth, do we know how X is faring against Danielle?"

"Apparently it's a stalemate. They haven't made any overly aggressive moves yet. They just got there." JiEin answered. "What? I have a link to Elly's laptop, and she's streaming the news broadcast into my sensors."

"Very well. We should hang back until she takes out the troops. We hopefully won't have to fight her, but everyone be prepared for combat anyway."

"Isn't Hahn coming with us?"

"No, he decided to stay behind. His presence would likely only enrage Danielle."

"When did this happen?" Leah asked.

"When you were thinking at Sage for five minutes."

"Oh, ok." Leah checked the sheath of her Yamigarisu, as Lucca, Labyrinth and JiEin readied their weapons as well.

As a group,they stepped into the teleporter, reappearing one short warp away from Danielle's position.

Danielle has been surrounded by a ring of about a hundred of Zionus' soldiers. X is standing back, watching as she hovers in the middle of the ring. She is laughing evilly.

**"X, seriously... you tried this trick before, remember? My pathetic other self was able to take them out. And with my new powers, I can easily crush you. Oh well, it's your funeral. Let's play, boys and girls."**

Danielle began to charge dark energy in an enormous aura around her. At a signal from X, the soldiers drew their weapons and began bombarding her with energy.Half were firing Visks,which had the option of a paralyzing shot. The other half were armed with the Justy ST, which can drain away life force in set increments. Each shot on it's own was insignificant, but the total began to take a toll on her.

Danielle was dodging shots and firing off energy blasts, enjoying herself. She had only been hit a few times, but the shots from the brown rifles actually hurt a little. The shots from the blue ones just felt funny. The shield of energy she erected was doing an admirable job of protecting her, but with every couple of hits from the brown rifles she felt her energy be drained.

Her individual Demon Roars were taking out single individuals and those stupid enough to cluster together, but these troopers were much smarter. They were spreading out, and attempting to dodge her shots.

**_As odd as it sounds, these idiots are actually draining me a bit. I didn't wanna blast them all at once, but an area attack would've ended my fun too fast. I may have to though. This is getting boring. Now to-aah!"_**

A lucky shot from one of the dozens of rifles bombarding her hit a weak point in her shield and went through. Unfortunately for her, it was a Visk. She felt her body go numb, and she began to fall. The rifle fire increased in intensity, and it actually started hurting.

The soldiers closed in for the kill on her slumped body. She was breathing, but the Visk's paralysis had rendered her unable to move.

**_Oh, no. I can't move. They're going to kill me. How can I die? I just wanted to have some fun..._**

Watching the broadcast, JiEin let out a curse.

"They've actually managed to hurt her. She went down. We have to help her."

"Help her? Are you insane? She's a goddess on a rampage. I'm sure they can't really hurt her." Lucca said.

"That's my niece out there, regardless of whatever power's possessing her. I'm going to help her!" Leah spun on her heel and ran for the teleporter, followed closely by JiEin.

_"Thank you, Leah. I can't jump to the soldiers, there minds are shielded by Zionus. It seems like she's been paralyzed. Anti should fix it. If you can get within sight range, I can make contact with her."_

"Ok. I'll Anti her."

"You and JiEin might want to not get too close, though. She's going to be rather angry."

"Yeah, I figured that part out."

Leah and JiEin appeared next to the battle field, behind the ring of soldiers that were relentlessly pumping rounds at Danielle's slumped body. Leah felt for her target, then cast Anti. As she did so, she felt Sage 'jump' from her mind to Danielle's. The paralysis lifted, and Danielle began to stir.

**_What happened? Someone helped me...who? And...why would anyone want to help me?_**

She charged energy and took flight once again, blasting a wave of telekinetic energy around her to clear out the closest soldiers. She felt a strangely soothing presence in her head.

Sage had made contact with Danielle, and was now trying to talk to her. _Her mind is full of rage, but at the same time she's frightened and lonely. This'll take a delicate touch._

**_There's someone in my head. Get out!_**

She charged energy and incinerated the closest soldiers with a massive beam of energy.

**_"Who are you?! And why won't you get out of my head?"_**

_"My apologies. My name is Sage, and I'd like to help you._

**_"Yeah right, like I need help. Were you the one that Anti'd me? I would've broken out of it on my own, y'know."_**

_"Yes, you are probably right. We helped you because we are worried about you. _

Danielle is blasting soldiers with enormous beams of dark energy. Turning, she sees Leah and JiEin.

**_"Oh, so you're with Leah and JiJi. They hate me, and I want to kill them. Why would they help me?_**

_"Because they care about you. They care about Ayame, but they also want to help you. They had no way of knowing you were trapped inside her. Leah just risked her life to Anti you."_

**_"Probably because they want to use me, just like everyone else. I'm not your tool!"_**

Danielle charged up to release a radial explosion of energy. Looking over at the teleporter, she saw Leah and JiEin sniping at a few of the soldiers with techniques and a Raygun, respectively.

_"They don't want to use you, they want to help you. They think it's wrong that you were created to be used as a weapon."_

**_"Yeah, right. Like they could know what it's like to be born with powers you can't control. Hypocrites. Tell your little friends to enjoy their impending doom. The blast I'm about to release will level this whole block."_**

_"I can understand what it's like to be born with a power you can't control, and be hated and feared for it. How do you think I'm communicating with you now? I'm a telepath, one of only a very few in the galaxy. There are no rule books. When I was younger, whenever I'd get upset people around me would get hurt. I would cause telekinetic storms when I'd get upset, or wipe people's memories. One time, when I was getting picked on by the other kids, I lashed out..._

Sage shows her an image of him as a child. He's on the ground, being beaten up by a crowd of leering children.

_"Yeah, you freak! Take this! We don't want any freaks at our school."_

_The largest boy suddenly clasped his head, then feel over in a heap after delivering a final swift kick to the young Sage's ribs. A wave of telekinetic power swept the other children into a nearby wall, and the force of impact injured many of them._

Sage slowly got to his feet, as battered and bruised as he was, and looked down at the leader of the pack, who was slumped on the ground holding his head.

"I'm tired of being your target. I didn't ask for this power. No one ever taught me how to control it! I don't want it, and if I could take it away I could. I'm going to let you feel how much it hurts when I lose control!!!"

Sage raised his hand, telekinetically lifting the larger boy of the ground. Tears were streaming down Sage's face as he began to mentally attack the other child's mind. He wanted him to feel all the pain he was feeling, all the sorrow and rage at being isolated and excluded. The boy screamed in agony as his mind was overloaded, and as Sage lost control his telekinetic grip tightened, crushing the boy. The bully swiftly lost consciousness as his arms were telekinetically snapped, and seconds later Sage was tackled by three security personnel.

The image in Danielle's mind faded, and she could see again. Apparently, he hadn't inhibited her actions any, as more soldiers were lying on the ground.

_"I was locked up for six months in a juvenile containment center for the insane. My parents disowned me... "_

"I was found by an aging Force, who taught me control and adopted me. He was a high-ranking hunter, and helped get me free and give me control. So, I became a hunter. I've been holding back ever since."

"Just because you have this power doesn't give you the right to hurt people with it. You need to learn to control it. By hurting people indiscriminately with it, you're no better than they are."

Danielle was feeling conflicted. She could tell that Sage wasn't lying. Maybe someone could understand how she felt...

**_"You might be able to understand me. But that doesn't mean I shouldn't kill these soldiers, or you. I have the power of a god! I can do what I want. Now...get OUT!!_**

Danielle released a wave of energy, breaking the link with Sage.

On Dezolis, he slumped in his seat. "I got through to her, but she's still incredibly angry. She needs to be weakened further before she'll listen."

Labyrinth and Lucca teleported in just as Danielle began gathering energy for a massive attack.

Labyrinth stepped forward, energizing his shield generator as he did so. "Get behind me! She's about to unleash a massive attack."

Seconds later, a dark wave of purple destruction pulsed outward from Danielle, destroying everything in it's path. Buildings crumpled and the soldiers were turned into ash.

When the wave passed, Danielle slumped to the ground. The only things left standing in a thousand yard radius were two glowing orbs. Labyrinth's group was behind one pulsing blue shield, and X was behind the glowing white one. Zionus' power had shielded him again...

As Zionus' rippling white shield faded, X drew his sword and started towards the kneeling Danielle. She was breathing heavily, and her aura had shrunken.

**"So, you want to go now? I'll have to end this quickly. I'm rather tired. Sorry to end it so quickly, but...die!"**

'Die' was punctuated with a large energy blast that erupted from Danielle's outstretched hand. X dodged it easily, and continued his rush towards her.

**"Hmm...that's odd. No one dodges my stuff. You're going to pay."**

Rising to the sky with a new pulse of energy fueling her aura, she placed her hands together and began gathering energy. As a black halo appeared between them, she fired off a flurry of Demon Roars. X managed to dodge a few of the black halos, but the rest connected with him solidly. When the smoke from the explosions cleared, the upper part of his clothing was destroyed. His katana had blocked the rest of the damage, though.

Charging up with energy, Danielle redoubled her assault as X charged her. He got within sword range before he was telekinetically hurled into the air and consumed with purple flame.

**"The problem with swords is that they have limited range. This doesn't."**

Danielle charged up a massive Demon Roar and fired it at the immobile X. His sword blocked it, but was shattered. The force of it pushed him backwards, out of her grip. It exploded, and he fell to the ground. Astoundingly, he was still alive.

He got slowly to his feet, and settled himself in a vaguely martial arts stance.

**"This is too easy. If I wanted to kill a groundhog, I'd go find one. I'll be groundbound, to make this last a bit longer."**

As Danielle lowered to the ground, X fired off a Foie. She moved to bat it aside, but it exploded right before she made contact. Distracted by the bright flash, she was caught by a kick to the face delivered by X, who had used his incredible speed to close the gap between them.

Reeling from the kick, she was rocked by several rapid-fire punches. **_Wow, I didn't know he was this strong. But this is...enough!_**

Fueling herself with dark power, she began to fight back. She blocked a punch at her face and responded with a kick to his midsection that pushed him back several feet.

Charging up a two-handed blast, she fired. He effortlessly leaped over it to catch her with a flying kick to the face. To her surprise, she fell backwards. **_That really hurt. And the power's coming slower and slower each time. What's wrong with me?_**

She was forced to dodge to the side as X leaped at her with a diving punch, planning to crush her skull. His fist left a sizeable dent in the street as she rolled aside and regained her footing.

**_I'm done fooling around. If I fly, it's too easy. If I'm on the ground, I get beat up. I'm ending this now. I can't keep this pace up for long._**

Danielle brought her hands up to her sides, bending her knees as she did so. She began to charge up energy, forming a larger and larger aura around herself. X ran towards her, but was soon hit by her as she flew towards him.

Fueled by Darkness, she unleashed a rapid-fire flurry of punches and kicks. The few he was fast enough to block broke through his guard with their sheer power. She was both enhancing her hits telekinetically as well as fueling her body with Darkness. The power of her hits was sending shockwaves through the air as she mercilessly pummeled him As he began to reel from her furious onslaught, she kicked him high into the air.

Flying up to intercept him, she smashed him towards the ground with a two-handed downward punch. Before he could hit the ground, she warped next to him and intercepted him with a roundhouse kick that sent him flying into the distance. Rushing ahead of his limp body, she caught him with her outstretched arm, kneed him in the stomach a few times, then smashed him into the ground with a one-handed slam.

Raising up from her kneeling position, she staggered backwards and fell into a sitting position. The aura around her faded, and her wings retracted. **"There...now stay down!** She slumped back onto her hands, and began to slowly regain her breath. Her pulse was pounding in her temples, and her entire body was shaking. Hoping nothing else attacked her for the time being, she tried to rest. Any determined attacker would require too much power to defeat. She was at the end of her energy reserves.

Unfortunately for her, Labyrinth and his group were still around, and had seen the entire thing. After a brief discussion, they moved towards her. Sage made contact, as she was too weak at the moment to force him away.

Sage gently contacted her again.

_"Labyrinth and the others want to help you. Please, let them. We need no more bloodshed."_

**_"No. I need no help. Warn them to stay back or I'll kill them."_**

_"That's rather unlike you. Are you developing compassion, or just exhausted? We sincerely do want to help you. You know it's impossible to lie mind-to-mind, and you could read my thoughts easily if you wish. Please, believe me!"_

**_Leave me alone! I'll kill them all..."_**

Rising to her feet, she addressed the approaching group. The energy aura around her flared to life as her wings reappeared.

**I'm going to kill all of you! You don't care about me, and I hate you! Now die!"**

She opened her soul fully to Darkness, and unleashed an enormous wave of energy. The Black Energy Wave, a pure emanation of Darkness, streamed towards the group. Lab, JiEin and Leah were fast enough to dodge, but it slammed into Lucca. She was suspended in the beam for a second before slumping to the ground, motionless.

"Lucca!" Labyrinth shouted, rushing to her. Leah and JiEin joined him, Leah casting a quick Resta spell. It was ineffective.

"Resta won't work. We just have to let her recover. Neifirst was hit with a beam like that by Zio." Leah said, crouching down beside her. "It's going to cause her incredible pain soon. I can keep her comfortable, but you **need **to take out Danielle. Now..."

JiEin started towards Danielle, drawing the Ji Sword. He was stopped by Labyrinth's outstretched hand.

"I'll handle this. If she gets past me, stop her. We can be repaired a lot more easily than these two. Besides, Lucca's a good friend." JiEin nodded his assent, and stepped back.

"Danielle! We wanted to do this without hurting you, but I see now we have no choice. I **will **stop you, one way or the other. Your rampage ends here!"

Labyrinth's boot jets kicked in as the Racast rushed his opponent. He drew a Nug Bazooka as he rocketed towards her. She was slow to avoid the first shot, and was buffeted by the shell's explosion as she took to the air.

A little unsteady, she began to charge up energy. As Labyrinth dashed towards her, she fired off multiple Demon Roars. With as tired as she was, they were less than half their normal power, and traveled proportionally slower. Labyrinth effortlessly dodged them as he pursued her, firing round after round from his Nug.

She was slow in dodging his shots, every muscle in her body feeling sapped and weak. Her reaction were slow, and the more she called on her power, the more her vision blurred. She was at the end of her reserves.

Each explosion that hit near her drained more and more energy from her shield. She could feel her control over Ayame's body weakening.

In desperation, she dodged behind a building that had been ruined. Her flight had carried her past the ground zero of her original attack, and she was in an area of ruined buildings. On the other side of the building was emblazoned a large graphic of a smiling yellow face. When Lab saw this, a rarely used subroutine in his programming kicked in. His boot jets died and the Nug was put away. He stood still for a second, seemingly defenseless. Danielle came out of her hiding place and began charging up a massive Demon Roar. **_Something's wrong with him. This may be my last chance._**

Drawing the energy for the Demon Roar felt like someone siphoning fire through her body. It was pure agony, but she kept at it. Before she was fully charged, Labyrinth began to move. Plating on his chest opened, and a glow of energy appeared.

"Smiley. Smiley. Smiley, Smiley...Smiley...SMILEY! Smileys must be destroyed!! Activating Omega Cannon for Prime Directive: Smiley Eradication."

Regaining control over his actions a split-second later, Lab pondered this turn of events. _Hmm...I thought the Omega Cannon was sealed. I wonder why they put that bit of programming in? Oh well, it'll probably work well on Danielle._

Bracing himself, he tracked her motion as she wavered in the sky. Just as she fired off her Demon Roar, he countered with the super-powered beam cannon in his chest. It ripped through the dark halo of energy, and sped towards her. As she fired off a huge purple beam to counter it, Sage took this moment to strike. he assailed her will all the telepathic force he could muster, reaching out to the Ayame personality trapped within her.

_"Ayame, you have to wake up! Take back control of your body!"_

"Mr. Sage...? I'll try. It's so hard, though. I feel like I'm underwater really deep, and I can't swim up."

"Just keep trying, I'll help you."

Sage extended a telepathic probe for Ayame to grab onto, and began to feed her with his strength. Her presence grew stronger, and he could feel her begin to fight back. With that accomplished, he contacted Leah.

_"Tell JiEin to tackle Danielle. We need to get her out of the path of the beam. Ayame's going to regain control soon."_

With the message relayed, Sage turned again to attack Danielle.

Danielle felt her control slipping away like water from a broken container. Control was as hard to regain as trying to grasp a rope made of sand. She felt her beam weaken, and when she reached for more power, she was unable to obtain any more. Her reserves were shot. Just then, it felt as if a sledgehammer had hit her in the side. JiEin's tackle carried her out of the path of the beam as her beam died. She fell to the ground, and he caught himself as she hit the ground with a thud.

Lab shut down the Omega Cannon, and the released energy hit the ruined building, obliterating it. JiEin shielded Danielle's body with his metallic one as chips of masonry flew. Rising up from shielding her as the explosion faded, he saw her body glowing brightly.

When the glow faded, the familiar purple-haired form of Ayame was visible once again. She was older than her remembered, but easily recognizable. He knelt and picked her up gently, then carried her over to where Labyrinth was already holding Lucca. They headed over to the nearby teleporter as Leah looked for X. He was nowhere to be found. The group headed back to Resistance Headquarters in a bright shimmer of light. Danielle's rampage was over.

On Dezolis, Sage slumped back into his seat. The darkness had been contained, for now...


	6. The Darkness Within

Ayame and Lucca are both in the medical center of Resistance HQ, lying on adjacent beds. Ayame is utterly still, seemingly comatose. Lucca is twitching and making small moans of pain. Labyrinth, Leah, JiEin and Elly are standing around, watching over the shoulder of the medical personnel that are attending to them.

One of the nurses spoke up: "The girl, Ayame, seems to be simply drained of energy. Both her mental energy and her physical stamina are drained. We've attempted to restore them, but she has still not regained consciousness. It's as if her mind is fighting her body's recovery."

The doctor replaced her medical scanner in her pocket after examining Lucca, and gave her report. "She has been stricken by some sort of energy beam that caused massive trauma. It seemed to have locked away her body's reserves of energy. The block faded soon after, luckily. If it had persisted, she might have perished. Her body seems to be rallying, but the thing she needs most right now is rest. We'll sedate her to dull the pain until her body recovers."

"Thank you, doctor." Labyrinth replied. We'll be in to visit them in the morning. With that, the group turned and left. Elly wandered off to her quarters after saying her goodbyes for the night. She had been promoted to the Resistance's chief tech position, and was staying at the base. JiEin, Leah and Labyrinth went to Lab's office.

"Labyrinth, I've been wondering about something." Leah said, after the three were settled.

"Yes, Leah?"

"Do you think there's a way for us to break Zionus' control over X?"

"I've been wondering about that. He's an asset to Zionus at the moment, and we could definitely use his power. He might even be able to assist Ayame in gaining control of her conduit power." JiEin said, settling down into a chair.

"I agree with you, JiEin. X is far too dangerous to be left under Zionus' control. The only reason we haven't done anything on that front is that we simply weren't capable at the time. With the recent contact with Sage and the damage Danielle inflicted on Zionus' forces, I feel we may have a chance now. Zionus has recently begun to build some sort of cloning factory on Ragol, according to our spies. This does not bode well, as he could clone an army of genetically enhanced X's if he wished. They would make a devastating army. I've dispatched a group to handle it, but their mission hasn't begun yet."

"We'll have to come up with a plan, I suppose. But until that goes through, and Ayame recovers, I don't want to make any sudden moves. Danielle gave us time..." Leah said. "Besides, we're all pretty exhausted. Let's see how the mission goes, then discuss tomorrow. Sound good?"

"Yes, that's acceptable. If you two wish, quarters can be made available for you here."

"That'd be wonderful. Lead the way, Labyrinth."

"That works for me, Labyrinth." JiEin said, standing.

The two were led to their individual quarters, and after getting settled in, Leah fell into a deep slumber. JiEin deactivated himself and went into the android equivalent of sleep.

On Dezolis, Sage was utterly exhausted, yet relieved. His mental assault on Danielle had taken a lot out of him, but he had been successful. After regaining enough energy to stand, he was led to a guest room in the Esper Mansion, where sleep quickly came to him. For the first time in months, his repose was not troubled by dreams of his past failures.

As the peaceful night fell over the two planets, a group of three hunters was planning a midnight raid.

Elsewhere, a Newman female threw on a long cloak and strode off into the night, searching for a fight...

Axios, Kiara and Nova are slowly, quietly making their way through the forest. They are on a mission to destroy one of the projects Zionus 'appropriated' from the military when Eriror's forces pledged their loyalty.

Kiara is in the lead, camouflaged in the darkness by a black bodysuit. She is carrying a bag of detonation charges. Axios follows her, his usual bright red robes hidden under a black hooded cloak. Nova brings up the rear, scanning their backtrail with night vision goggles. They had easily slipped past the outer ring of defenses, but it seemed a bit too simple.

Axios spoke into their shielded communication channel. "So, explain this to me one more time. How exactly are we planning to escape after we blow this place sky-high? I seem to have missed that particular memo."

"I'm going to go in and destroy the cloning machinery. You'll create a diversion while Nova covers our escape. It should be simple..."

"Why do I always get the dubious pleasure of being the 'walking attention-getter' again?"

"Because, you wear the bright-red clothing. You make the smartassed remarks that piss people off, and you are the only one of the three of us who can actually wreak decent damage with your techs. Mine are like bottle rockets. Ki's are like regular guns. Yours are like artillery. Besides, you just aren't very sneaky. Stealth eludes you, Axios..." Nova said, completing his scan of the area.

"Good point, I suppose."

They had made it to within three yards of the building without being detected. A large grate loomed above them. It was an exhaust port for the airconditioning system. The heavy duty vents for the generator were located on top of the building. Kiara slashed through the gate, then was helped inside it by a boost from Axios as Nova covered them.

With Kiara inside and on her way to her first objective, Nova and Axios took their places as well. Axios headed for the main entrance as Nova began to sneak towards the nearest guard tower.

A tall, violet-haired Hunewearl is stalking the streets of Pioneer 2, clearly searching for something. As she does so, she thinks back to events from her past that have begun haunting her recently.

_She remembers being hit by the Black Energy Wave. Darkness came over her, and she lost consciousness. When she awoke, she was in the kid's bedroom. She still felt weak, but she was alive. When the final battle came, she was unable to take her revenge. That failure ate at her. The fact that the annoying brat had succeeded where she had so spectacularly failed was like the twisting of the knife in the wound. She thought her chance for vengeance had been lost forever..._

Luckily for her, her nemesis had somehow been revived. He seemed to be starting his own religion now. She was currently hunting for a group of his 'soldiers'. Busting them up would both help the general beautification of Pioneer 2 as well as give her a chance for some exercise. She might even get some information out of them. A small smile crossed her face as she observed a group of them walking into a bar. They had taken their new-found 'holy mandate' as a chance to impose their will on others. As she readied the claw strapped to her right forearm, the smile crossed her face again. Since X was under Zionus' control, she might even be able to finally get payback for the trash she found under his bed. It was deplorable, the stuff that arrogant brat collected. Neifirst was happy, truly happy for the first time in months as she stepped into the bar.

In the forests of Ragol, Nova is slowly making his way to a guard tower on the perimeter of the base. A quick shot from his Suppressed Gun takes out the guard, and he creates a telepipe that is shielded from the inside of the base by the bulk of the tower. Luckily, the tower is positioned behind a large, low rock, which will also screen it from the few remaining perimeter guards. The tower can easily see over the boulder, yet prying eyes cannot see the telepipe. The positioning of the tower is perfect, just as Lab's data said it would be. He climbs the tower by way of a small grappling hook attached to a cable. Climbing to the top, he lowers the cable over the side, still attached. The team will be ready to slide down and into the telepipe in a moment's notice.He attaches a second cable to the grappling hook he used to climb the tower, then readies it to throw over the edge in case Axios and Kiara need a way out of the base. He draws his Hell Laser, and takes a position to cover Axios as he approaches the main gate.

Axios casts Shifta and Deband on himself as he casually strolls towards the pair of guards at the gate. Throwing aside his cloak, he is illuminated by the glow of his support techs. He calls out to them when he is in Rafoie range.

"Hi, is this the Half-Naked Catgirl Factory? I have a complaint to register. You see, I ordered one of your catgirl models, and she was defective. She was fully-clothed, you see. That is clearly false adverti- Yipe!."

The 'Yipe!' was in response to the warning shot one of the guards put near his foot.

"This is a military facility. If you do not vacate the premises immediately, we are authorized to use deadly force."

"Wow, the Better Business Bureau was right. Your customer service department really does suck. I'm going to lodge a complaint with your manager. I just have to cut through the middleman and red-tape first." With this less-than-stellar quip, he withdrew Rokujou from it's usual place on his belt. Hitting the activation switch, the area was bathed in a soft golden light as the twin photon blades extended from the handle. With a wave of his hand, the guards were weakened by quickly-cast Jellen and Zalure techs. Their defenses weakened and their weapons rendered useless, they were reduced to fodder in seconds. Axios then began to hack into the door's control panel with a tool Labyrinth had given him. Within seconds, it was opened. Apparently the cameras still weren't working, like Lab assured they would be.

Kiara was inside the generator room. She had made it there undetected, and was lurking behind a console. The unlucky tech who first found her was knocked unconscious by a swift kick to the head. His companion who stumbled upon her as she was planting the first of the charges had his head slammed into the wall. He slumped to the floor as she scanned for further intrusions. He was breathing, but would be out for a while. She finished planting her det-charges, and contacted Nova. "I've got the first of the charges set. When they go off, the generator will be fried. I've set the ones on the cooling units to go off twenty minutes beforehand. That'll allow the generator to build to overload before the main charge goes off. Anything that survives will be useless slag."

"Good job. Are you headed to the machine rooms now?"

"Yes. How's Axios doing? I've only ran into two techs, and no guards. Zionus underestimates us, and doesn't pay his people well..."

"He's...fine. Are there any alarms going off right now?"

"No. I guess Lab's virus into the computer systems really did work."

"Alright. He's going in now. Hurry with your end."

"Ok, Kiara out."

Nova resumed his sniper position as Axios made it through the outer door. He had to make it through a courtyard lined with guards to get inside, but infiltrating the building wasn't his goal. He simply had to cause as much havoc as possible.

Axios strolled casually over to a delivery vehicle, and crouched behind it as he targeted the nearby guard station with Gizonde. He cast the spell, shorting out the light inside. As the guard ran out, Axios launched multiple waves of Gifoie. The cascading fireballs started fires all around the base. More guards came running. As they closed in, he fired off a Rafoie spell at the front door of the base, blowing it open. Refreshing his support techs, he weakened the approaching group of guards with Jellen and Zalure, then contacted Nova.

"Nova, I'm gonna take on these guards. Why are they only armed with Partisans?"

"I guess they couldn't get anything better. The employee roster shows the majority of them are Bluefull. I'll cover you. Be careful."

Axios communicated his assent, and sprang from his hiding place, igniting his twin saber as he stood.

With the combination of the guard's craptastic Bluefull-acquired equipment, Axios' skill with Rokujou and the spells boosting him and weakening them, he swiftly carved a path of destruction through about ten of them. One that tried to snipe him from afar was greeted with a Hell Laser shot to the face, instantly downing him.

"You know, Nova...I've missed this. Peace is so boring. I like fighting."

"I understand. Just be careful, okay?"

"You too." Axios fired a Foie into the distance, at something Nova couldn't quite see. When he zoomed in, he saw a guard pointing a Varista at him. Seconds later, the fireball sent the wannabe-sniper guard to his oblivion. _Wow, Axios isn't rusty at all. Impressive..._

Kiara has meanwhile infiltrated the room where the cloning machines were located. Drawing her twin Kamuis, she made short work of the handful of guards. Most were taken out with hits from the blunt part of the blade, but a few were cut down when they resisted. Five minutes later, each cloning vat had been booby-trapped. When the last of these charges went, the cooling system would have been disabled for around five minutes. She leapt back into the air vent and continued to her last target, the control room. Contacting Nova, she made her report. "How's the diversion and escape routes going?"

"Fine. Axios is very, very good at what he does. How are you doing?"

"I've sabotaged the vats. I'm off to the control room."

"Ok. We've got things under control out here."

Axios had cut down around fifteen guards, with a little fire support from Nova. Weaponry for the guards seemed to be in short supply, as most were armed with Partisans. It truly did seem too easy. Suddenly, a teleporter on one side of the courtyard sprang to life. The cloaked figure of Eriror stepped out, accompanied by a squad of elite guards. 

"Men, spread out and engage the intruders. Do not let them escape!"

Nova watched as Axios was hit by a burst from an Ano Rifle, fired from one of the other towers. The beam hit him in the shoulder, spinning him around with the force of its passing before knocking him to the ground. Through the scope, he saw his friend cast Resta to stem the extent of the injury. Axios slowly got to his feet. " I think I know now why this seemed too easy..."

Inside the base, Kiara had made it to the control room. She was greeted by a Hucast that threw a chair at her. Barely dodging it in time, she backflipped to avoid the headlong rush of Kikuu's Lavis Blade attack.

Drawing her Kamuis, she readied herself for battle.

Neifirst is greatly enjoying herself. It was the matter of a few moments to provoke the soldiers into attacking her, and she hasn't had to use her claw yet. Besides, their threatening of the bar owner had gotten on her nerves. Barfights usually weren't her thing, but she'd forgotten how good combat was for exercise. Her muscles sang with effort as she dodged punches and kicks.

One long sliding punch to the face of the lead soldier knocked him to his knees. As she grabbed him by his collar and lifted him off the ground, the five remaining elites drew their weapons. Throwing aside her cloak, she bared her Nei's Claw as a satisfied smile crossed her face. _I don't usually start fights, but the opportunity to let off some steam is always welcome. I should've started hanging out in bars years ago..._

Inside the base, Kiara is parrying blow after blow from Kikuu. _He's incredibly fast, stronger than I am and more durable. I need to use my edge. _Delivering a fierce roundhouse to Kikuu's face, she manages to push him back a few steps. Dodging his off-balance swing, she casts Jellen on him. As his reflexes slow, she boosts her self with Shifta and Deband. He charges her, and she barely manages to catch his right-hand blade with her left Kamui. As she deflects his left blade with her remaining weapon, he knees her in the chest. Winded, she is nearly unable to avoid his follow up attacks, and is caught by one of the blades in the side. A lance of agony rips through her, but she does not scream. She manages to graze him with her blade as she falls to the ground.

Axios dives behind the delivery vehicle as the ring of soldiers open fire on him. Half have mechguns, the other half shotguns. As the hail of photon bullets assails his cover, he contacts Nova. " A little help here, maybe...? And is Kiara having as much trouble as we are?"

"I'm trying, and yes. There's a sniper in one of the towers, and I'm trying to get a shot at them without being open to fire."

"Oh, that's nice. I'll just deal with the forty-something soldiers that want to kill me while you trade marksmanship tips with your sniper buddy, ok?"

Nova cut him off without a word, and studied his predicament. The shot that had hit Axios came from the tower on the opposite side of the base. His opponent had to either have night vision goggles, or be an android, since the lighting to hit Axios was not very good. He fired a flare towards the tower, lobbing it over the side of the tower he was in, then held up the guard's hat on the barrel of his rifle. The hat was blasted by an Ano Rifle blast the second it peeked over the parapet. His opponent was apparently an android, as a human with goggles on would still be blinded by the flare. He contacted Axios.

"Ax... hit the tower across from my position with a Zonde-series spell. I don't care which one, just do it."

"What about the soldiers?"

"Don't worry about them. I'll handle them."

"Ok, Nova." Axios cast a Gizonde spell towards the tower, and was able to see a faint spark. Nova popped up from his position in the tower with his Yasminkov 9000s at the ready. As he saw his opponent start to move, recovering from the Zonde-induced shock, he opened fire. His first shot hit the scope of the rifle, and the next eight wreaked havoc on the sniper. When he held up another item, it was not hit by a shot. He then began raining gunfire down upon Eriror's guards, assisting the pinned-down Axios.

Eriror's troops are falling rapidly to well-placed bursts of gunfire. Eriror draws his Zanba and gets behind cover. The sniper in the tower was supposed to be taken out by Kimiko. Apparently,Nova hasn't slacked on his training any. He contacts Kikuu.

"Kikuu, is the saboteur neutralized? Lord Zionus will be upset if his factory is demolished."

"Almost, boss. I..zzzzzguhzzz..."

The shorting out of Kikuu's verbal system was caused by Kiara. She had faked the severity of her wound, and as Kikuu closed in she cast a Foie spell at the ground. Leaping away, screened by the cloud of dust, she charged her blades with electricity and plunged them into either side of Kikuu's neck, shorting him out. The damage wasn't irreparable, but he wouldn't be getting up on his own. Healing herself with a quick casting of Resta, she placed her charges and disappeared back into the ductwork.

Axios is pinned down, but his opposition is rapidly diminishing. He begins charging a Sharishin's Kaiu, his most devastating attack. He casts Gifoie, then charges Rokujou with heat by absorbing the Gifoie's flame spheres. As the attack grew to it's maximum potential, he contacted Nova. "I'm going to blast them. Do me a favor and clump them all up, would you please?"

"Right."Nova begins herding the soldiers together with well-placed gunfire. As they being to bunch together behind one place of cover, he contacts Axios. "That's the best you're going to get. Behind the guard tower, slightly off to the side. Ten of the last twelve. They are rather foolish..."

"Ok, thanks. Shield your eyes." With that, Axios leaps from his cover and unleashes a massive beam of heat energy from his rapidly spinning twin-saber. The guard tower and the soldiers behind it are consumed by the flames, and quickly neutralized. As Axios heads towards the tower where Nova's at, he sees Kiara leap from the ductwork. Landing next to one of Eriror's remaining troops, she takes him out with two precise attacks. She begins sprinting agilely towards the tower.

The remaining guard pops up and draws a bead on the fleeing black-garbed figure, but is cut down by a shot from Nova. Eriror attempts to pursue, but is forced to block a blast of Yasminkov bullets. 

"Eriror, you are a fool for following Zionus. Give it up already. You know you can't stop us..." Axios says as he slides down the backside of the tower to the waiting telepipe.

Kiara's agile leap takes her half-way up the tower, and she quickly scales the remainder. "Yeah, Eriror...we used to be friends. Why follow that psychopath?" She backflips off the tower, landing in a crouch beside the telepipe.

Nova is the last to leave. "Eriror...this is wrong. No man should wield the power of a god. Anyone that tries is the purest form of evil I know. Humanity was not meant to have that power. Goodbye." Nova slides down the cable and joins his team.

"So, Kiara...when will those explode?" Axios asks, as he slumps to try and catch his breath.

"Right about...now." 'Now' is punctuated by a muffled 'boom' as the cooling system for the generator is destroyed. Minutes later, the cloning vats begin to blow up. A chain reaction starts as the Dreamchasers make their escape through Nova's telepipe.

A few minutes later, Zionus' cloning factory is completely annihilated by the explosion of it's main generator. The few remaining soldiers flee in terror as Eriror gazes at the ruin of his Lord's plan. _At least the main project was completed..._ he though, as he headed back through the telepipe to report his failure to his master. Warping into Zionus' throne room, he is startled to see the damaged forms of Kimiko and Kikuu. _The master saw fit to save them. He truly is worthy of praise..._

On Dezolis, early morning sunlight is filtering through the curtains of Sage's quarters. As he becomes increasingly unable to avoid the ever-growing brightness, he concedes and opens his eyes. Sitting up, he yawns and stretches. In his mind, Lutz speaks.

_Sage, you need to wake up. We've got work to do, and it doesn't involve you sleeping all day._

Easy for you to say. You're a mental construct. You don't get tired. You were boosting my powers during that battle with Danielle, but it was still very draining.

Your fatigue is easy to read, Chosen. However, your responsibility as leader of the Espers beckons.

Yeah, yeah...I know. So what do we have to do again?

You must retrieve the Rings of Stars. After their most recent use, they were returned to their original resting place. However...you cannot complete this alone. The trials to retrieve them will be daunting... But that can wait. Lissandra is coming to wake you. The poor girl tried four times, but couldn't bring herself to interrupt your slumber.

Hmm...that's odd. Maybe it's because technically I rank her now? She seemed to have no problem assaulting me with pillows when I got here...

Sage's conversation with his new mental roommate was interrupted by a knock on the door. Lissandra peeked her head in, almost as if she was afraid to see what was inside. When she saw Sage sitting up, she let out an exclamation of surprise.

"Honorable Lutz! You're...awake?"

"Yeah, kind of. What's going on?"

"We've prepared a late breakfast for you, Honor-"

"Liss, it's Sage, okay? You seemed to have no problem beating me up when we got here, and I greatly prefer that to acting strange around me."

"Sorry. It's just that... you're not just you, anymore. You are also the leader of the Espers. I have to treat you with respect, or..."

"You think I'll turn you into a frog or something? Heh. Don't worry. I have Lutz's power, but I'm still me, okay?"

"Well in that case..." Liss said, with that mischievous gleam in her eye once again. "Get up, sleepyhead!" she said, dragging off the covers and leaving him shivering in the cool morning air.

After a bit of forcible coercion on Liss's part, Sage was removed from his comfortable bed. He bathed and dressed, then descended the staircase to the main floor. Jadrek and the Council were waiting for him outside the dining room.

"Honor-" Jadrek began, after bowing slightly.

"Jadrek, it's Sage, please." Sage said, cutting him off in mid sentence." Not 'Honorable Lutz', or 'Exalted Heir', or anything like that. Just Sage. Ok?" He finished, with a tired expression on his face.

Lutz decided to throw in his mental commentary at that precise moment._I would think you would like the extra prestige, chosen. Just don't let it go to your head... although it may help with the girl._

Can it, please. It makes me feel uncomfortable. Besides, you're a thought pattern that's worshipped. You aren't exactly one to lecture on humility.

"Very well, Sage. Would you like us to leave you to your meal before discussing the matter at hand?" One of the Council members asked.

"Nah, we can talk while I eat. I'm rather hungry, and we do have a lot to discuss. Can I get something portable?"

Ten minutes later, Sage, the Council of Elders, Lissandra and Yokote were in the study Jadrek had taken Sage to before his trial. Sage was downing a hasty breakfast as Jadrek explained the plan.

"The items that can protect you from divine powers are called the Rings of Stars. They have been passed down to the Protectors since time immemorial. They are hidden on a planet known as Rykros. You will need a space vessel to get there. One is located in Tyler, supposedly."

"Ok, but why can't we just teleport there? You teleported to Ragol, right?"

"Yes, but Ragol isn't shielded against scanning and teleportation like Rykros is."

_You know, Chosen...you should really try to think more before you talk. The answers to most of your questions are within my memories._

Thank you for that **remarkably helpful **suggestion, Lutz. Anyway, I like to learn stuff on my own. I don't want to have to rely on your power too much.

_Very well. Perhaps you will be able to accomplish the task before you..._

"Makes sense. So, what do we do after we find the spaceship?"

"You will need to find Rykros. Then, you must face the tests of the Protectors, and claim the Rings."

"Find Rykros...?"

"Yes. It is hidden to all but the worthy. However, there is a treasure hidden on Dezolis that will help you find it."

"So, where is this treasure?"

"It was lost some time ago. Perhaps Lutz knows of it's whereabouts?"

_Yes, Chosen...I do. Don't worry about that for the time being. Go to Tyler with all possible haste._

"Yeah, he says he does. Who's going with me?"

"Lissandra and Yokote will accompany you. Their skills should help you."

"I'd be honored, Sage." Yokote said, rising from his position of leaning against the wall near the door.

"Let's go! We have to beat Zionus, Sage." Lissandra said, leaping to her feet. "We'll need to get the snowmobiles. Follow me to the vehicle hangar."

"You...have snowmobiles? Why'd we walk to Tyler from the warp point?"

"Because if we'd left a snowmobile out, it would've frozen over. Besides... we weren't sure when you'd arrive. And you needed the walk to acclimate to the cold. Now come on..."

A few minutes later, they were packed and en route to Tyler.

On Pioneer 2, Ayame and Lucca are recuperating in the medical wing. Labyrinth has been approached by the Dreamchasers after the completion of their mission.

Nova, Axios and Kiara are making their report. Labyrinth had hired them for the mission, since the Resistance's members were woefully lacking in training at the moment.

"Thank you for helping us out with that. Allowing Zionus' plans to go unopposed would be very dangerous. The money has been deposited in your account, Dreamchasers."

"No problem, Lab. But...we were attacked by an elite group of troopers as we were making our escape. How did they get off a distress call? Or did you set us up?" Nova said, his voice taking on a menacing tone.

"I assure you, I did not set you up. That would be counter-productive, to say the least. It turns out that the facility did turn out one operable clone before it's destruction. The troopers you encountered were sent to retrieve it. It was not heavily guarded because it was not expected to be attacked. "

Kiara looked at him. The way he phrased the statement worried her. "Who was the clone of, Labyrinth? Or do you not know...?"

"Our sources indicate it was a duplicate of X. A former scientist at the project stated that the genetic material is mostly identical, but several 'enhancements' have been made. Apparently Zionus is calling the project a 'vessel'. The clone was removed right before your demolishment of the facility."

Axios spoke up, a concerned look on his face. "X is one of the top hunters, other than us. If Zionus has an army of them, we'd die from shirtless anime overload."

"I would like to propose a plan, then. Would you be willing to do another job for us on such short notice?"

"Depends...how much are you paying us?"

"For this, money is no object. Your mission is to rescue X from Zionus."

"Oh, sounds simple. We just waltz right in, take his main weapon and leave? Why didn't we think of that...?" Axios said, already seeming to discount the idea.

"Actually, you are to incapacitate him and bring him back here. We will do the rest."

"But isn't he brainwashed, or controlled, or something by Zionus?" Kiara asked.

"Yes, but we're working on a way of breaking that. You must infiltrate Zionus' base and subdue X, then return here. Will you do it?"

"Sure. You pay well, and we don't have a lot of other well-paying jobs at the moment. But this will take a lot of planning..." Nova said, after conferring with Axios and Kiara.

"We are working on setting everything up. Could you make your preparations and return in two hours?"

"That soon...?"

"Yes, we must hurry. The longer we wait, the less of an opportunity we will have. I'll see you in two hours."

The Dreamchasers left to prepare, and Lab went to confer with Leah and JiEin. They were waiting in the medical lab, where Lucca was regaining consciousness.

"Where...where am I ?"

"You're in the medical center, Lucca. You were attacked by Danielle. You've been out of it for a while."

"Oh. Is Ayame okay?"

"Yes, she's right over here. Get some rest, Lucca."

Lucca went back to sleep, as Ayame remained in her coma.

_Ayame is floating in the middle of a dark, featureless void. Gradually, slowly she begins a return to coherence. It feels as if she is at the bottom of the ocean, and is attempting to swim upwards. The going is as slow as if she had weights tied to her legs and arms. She hears X's voice, and the voice of her other friends and family. X and the others appear in front of her, seemingly crafted of shimmering light. She 'swims' toward them, but with each foot she moves they seem to move two feet away. She makes it to the 'surface, and comes up into a world devoid of light and filled with strange colors._

_She 'swims' toward shore, towards coherence. As she makes it to the only seemingly solid article in this strange landscape, the shining images of her loved ones appear in front of her. Reaching out to them, she is stopped by a Demon Roar hitting the ground in front of her. The sand of the beach explodes into a sparkling rain of a thousand shards of black volcanic glass. Whirling about, she sees the figure that has haunted her dreams for as long as she can remember._

_Before she knew her name, she thought of her simply as the "Dark Lady." Even now, knowing her name...the fear still grips her. Danielle is hovering above the beach, wings outstretched. Danielle is hovering above the beach, wings outstretched. She is surrounded by a pulsing, coalescing purple aura of dark energy. Her blood-red hair is blowing in a sorcerous wind that seems to be synched with the pulsing of the aura that surrounds her. Raising her hands, she attracts a thousand glowing purple dots of light from nowhere, and places her hands together._

**Goodbye...** she says, with a demonic grin covering her face. She points her hands at the shimmering images of X, Leah, JiEin, Hahn and the others, then blasts them into oblivion one by one. Ayame is frozen in shock, unable to move. As she looks down, she notices two things. For one, her body is back to it's child-like state. Two, she is rapidly sinking into a pool of liquid darkness. A wave of despair washes over her, and she feels her heart sink. "I can't beat her...she's too strong. I'm just a kid..." she thinks, as the enveloping darkness threatens to overtake her.

On Dezolis, Sage's group is rapidly approaching Tyler. A frigid wind whips around them as they tear across the snow plains on snowmobiles. Sage is in mental contact with both Lissandra and Yokote.

_"Wow, this is a lot faster than the Ice Digger."_

"Yeah, Sage...it is. Fun, too. Although it's a bit cold. Lissandra replied into his mind.

Yokote spoke into his head. He was in the lead, and had the best vision. _"Sage, I'm seeing a plume of smoke coming from Tyler. And scanners indicate metallic debris. I think there may be a problem."_

_"Well then, let's hurry."_

They increase their speed, and in short order arrive at the town of Tyler. The blackened husks of the burned buildings are visible even from the snowmobiles. As they dismount and enter the town, they are greeted by a large group of villagers. In the center is an android, looking a bit worse for wear. Sage and Brom recognize each other at once.

Sage tensed as he saw Brom. _One of Eriror's lieutenants, here... this can't be good._

Brom stood motionless for a second, then called out a greeting. "Hello, Sage. How are you doing? Eriror was wondering about you..."

Before Sage could reply, a small girl at Brom's ankles began jumping up and down excitedly.

"Mr. Brom, Mr. Brom! Is this your friend that you were looking for?"

_Excellent...saving the meatbags was a good idea. Sage came to me on his own. But he has backup. Perhaps I shouldn't try to kill him here._

"Yes, Sana, it is. I'm glad he's safe."

"Brom, what are you doing here? Did you do this to the village?"

"No, Sage, not at all..."

The village elder stepped forward and spoke up. "We were attacked by bandits. Mr. Brom here saved us. If not for him, we would have perished."

Sage looked shocked. "As leader of the Espers, I shall send for aid immediately. I am the heir of Lutz, and I swear your village will be under the protection of the Espers from now on, if you wish it." Tapping into a small fraction of Lutz's power, he sent a mental message to Jadrek, explaining the situation.

"I thank you, honorable one. We did not feel the need for protection in the past, but we see the error of our ways now. Are you the new-crowned heir that was spoken of recently?"

_For all of a day, but yeah, sure...I guess that's right._ Sage thought.

"Yes, I am. I received the power of Lutz quite recently. The ordeal we were dealing with distracted us."

_For all that you have the power, you only use it when you need something. You could talk to me more often, you know..._ Lutz commented into Sage's head.

Biting back a retort, Sage informed the village elder that help was on the way. As the villagers dispersed to continue the task of rebuilding their ruined town, Brom stepped forward, followed by a small girl, a young woman and a penguin.

_I'll see if I can accompany him. He looks to be on a journey, if the snowmobiles are any indication. I couldn't take him on right now anyway. I'm too weakened. I'll just have to follow and observe._

"Sage, can I go with you? It looks as if you are on a journey for something."

Sage prepared to reply in the negative, as he had serious misgivings about Brom's loyalty. However, he was cut off by Yokote and Lissandra both enthusiastically answering yes.

"It must have taken great skill to accomplish such a feat. Your power could benefit us." Yokote said, seconds before Lissandra said "Yes, please. The more the merrier."

Sage was torn on how to respond. If Brom could be trusted, he'd be a great asset. And the Brom he knew would have killed all the villagers. Perhaps he had changed. The Psycho Wand in his chest did make his programming rather erratic.

_I'd have to pull rank to tell them no. And he might actually be helpful. I'll just have to keep an eye on him. If I pull rank, all the progress I've made with getting them to loosen up will be gone._ Resigned to his fate, he prepared to agree with them, until Lutz spoke loudly into his mind.

_If you have misgivings about this, state them now. You have made much progress in not fearing your abilities. Speak now, if you do not wish to lose it. You do rank them, and you can order them around...___

_You just like to be bossy. I think you have an inferiority complex. I'll take him with us. He may be useful, and without us he can't get back to Ragol anyway. He needs us, and we could use him._

"Ok, Brom. You can come with us. I need to speak to the elder..."

Sage and the group approached the elder. After a short conversation, they were disappointed to learn that the ship wasn't located there after all. They did get a clue to a possible location. After checking with Jadrek for information, they set off. Liss and Sage on one snowmobile (as they were the smallest), Brom on Liss's and Yokote on his. They were headed for a small town named Reshel, where rumors of a 'Snow Queen' abounded.

As they were packing to leave, Sage had Yokote discreetly activate the remote cut off switch on Brom's snowmobile in case they needed it. This way if he tried anything funny, he'd be stuck in the wilderness. They set off, not knowing that a blizzard was brewing.

In a snow filled cave, a beautiful blonde woman was bustling about, occasionally murmuring to herself as she cleaned and straightened up around her abode. _Ooh, and Lutz has returned. This will be fun. I might get a good meal and entertainment out of this one. But first, I should probably get dressed. Not polite to meet company in the nude. I'll have to let them earn that..._

Gathering a swirl of icy wind around her nude body, she clothed herself in what seemed to be a silver-armored bikini. Grasping a long white cloak with an ornate silver clasp from a hook by the wall, she swung it over her shoulders. It swept the ground, creating small swishing patterns in the snow as she cleaned. 

As she finished, she gathered a miniature blizzard into her hands, gazing into it as it solidified into a picture. Sage's group was rapidly coursing over the plains as darkness fell._Now, to see where they are...aha! They'll be here soon. _

In the medical center of Pioneer 2, Ayame's vital signs remained steady, yet her brainwave activity was strangely erratic.

_Inside her mind, she was sinking into an abyss seemingly formed of liquid shadow. Visions of happy moments in her life formed above her, and were promptly blasted into oblivion by Danielle. As a vision of her first Christmas with X and Leah popped up, she felt a surge of anger pulse through her. Although she usually ignored anger, this time she gave in. With a yell, she focused pure technique energy outward in a wave, shattering the creeping shadows around her. She felt her body rise back up level with the ground, and she reverted to her teenage self. "I've had enough! Those are my memories, not yours. You can't destroy them, and you can't...destroy...me!!___

_As she yelled, she began to glow with pink energy. The aura coalesced around her, forming itself into iridescent pink feathered wings on her back. Powering up, she rose level with Danielle, and prepared to face the darkness within her heart.___

**_"Hah, you think you can beat me, kid? You're pathetic. There's no 'Uncle X' to save you now. I killed him, and now it's your turn. I'll enjoy watching you die, you little . Don't die before you scream, please. I know you're weak, but please try to hold out long enough for me to have my fun. You'll beg for mercy before you die. Then I'll take my rightful place as the true owner of this body."_**

_Ayame and Danielle are facing each other intently, hovering on a construct of a beach in Ayame's mind. Ayame looks rather frightened, but there is determination in her eyes. Her now shoulder-length purple hair is blowing in a breeze created by the two conflicting auras. Danielle floats with a smug look on her face, arms crossed.___

**_"You really think you can even hurt me? You don't have the willpower or the capacity. Every negative thought you ever had got shrugged off onto me. You can't display real anger, because it frightens you. Negative emotions make you want to run and hide. You've always had someone there to protect you and comfort you. You've never known hardship...you've never known pain. All your life, you had someone else to run to, to take care of you. You forced me to endure all your pain, your sorrow, your anger, your hatred... but unlike you, I had no one to protect me. I had no one to comfort me. I had...no one. I had to become strong, simply to survive. And now I'll take what I've earned through sixteen years of pure hell. Prepare to die!"_**__

_'You're wrong. You're evil, and no one likes you. You hurt people for the fun of it. I'm not a kid anymore. I can take care of myself. Now it's time to prove it to you. I'm not going to let you hurt anyone else, you !."___

**_"Hmph. You don't get it, do you. Conduit power requires emotion to use properly. On this battleground, I am in control. You can't use your techs here. Your strength is determined by your force of will. Your only weapon is the power of the conduit. And you don't have strong enough emotions to use it. Negative emotion fuels it, and you're out of gas. All those years of pushing negative emotions off onto me made you unable to handle it. If you try to use it now, it'll destroy you... Just give up already. I've won."_**__

_"No." Ayame's answer was sharp and simple. A determination she'd never experienced before was flowing through her. She hated Danielle more than she'd ever hated anyone. Other than Zionus, Danielle was the only person she could ever recall wanting to kill. And she only hated Zionus because of what he'd done to X. Danielle's mere presence made her blood boil, and the thought of her using her body for evil make Ayame feel sick with rage. She gathered energy into her hands, and fired off a two-handed blast at Danielle. The pink beam hit an invisible wall , dispersing a good two feet in front of Danielle.___

**_"Hah, you are pathetic. You'll have to try harder than that, dearie. Too bad you'll die before you get the hang of it."_**__

_Ayame went berserk at this, firing off a flurry of alternating one-handed blasts. Rage filled her, and she could feel the beams getting stronger. At the same time, a powerful darkness seemed to be nipping at her heels, whispering into the back of her mind. "That's it....release your power. Become my true avatar. Give in to your hatred."___

_When the smoke cleared, Danielle was relatively unharmed. She lazily raised her right hand and fired a blast at Ayame. It pierced through her barrier effortlessly, and impacted her in the shoulder. It pierced through, leaving a smoking hole.___

_"Ow! That hurt..." 'I'm in trouble. She's way too strong...' Ayame thought. 'Uncle X always said that emotion fuels his conduit, and she confirmed everything she said. But X also said that if you give into the emotion, you lose control. I have to focus my emotion with why I want to beat her, instead of just wanting to beat her.' _Ayame got back to her feet, as the blast had knocked her to the ground, and resumed floating a little unsteadily.

On Dezolis, Sage and the others are racing through the rapidly approaching night. A storm has started, and there is no shelter in sight. The wind whips at them, biting like a frigid sword. _"Liss, we need to find shelter soon. I don't think we could last the night if this storm holds up."_

Lissandra's mind voice is weary. She's riding on the back, and is getting more of the wind. "_ Yeah, I agree. Can we stop for a second...?"_

Sage relays the message to Yokote, who contacts Brom on the radio. The group stops, pulling the snowmobiles together to block the wind.

"Why are we stopping?" Brom asks.

"We need to find shelter, and Lissandra needs to look at her map." Sage replies, casting a Foie spell at the ground to melt away some of the snow. Taking some kindling from the snowmobile, he lights it ablaze with Rafoie. The snowmobile shields it from the wind slightly, though it won't last for long.

The group huddles around the small fire as they confer. "According to the map, there should be a system of caves on the way to Reshel. We can camp in those." Yokote says. He had taken the map from Lissandra, who was too chilled to find it.

"Sounds good to me." Sage answers him. He looks over to Lissandra with a worried expression on his face. She is as pale as her robes, above her veil. "Liss, are you alright?"

She looks up at the sound of his voice, a vague look in her eye. "Yeah, Sage...I'm fine. Just really cold."

_Hmph, meatbags...they're so fragile._ Brom thinks."Well, should we head for the caves, then?"

"Yes, and we need to hurry. The temperature's dropping rapidly. Lady Lissandra, would you like my extra blanket to bundle up in? You look rather chilled." Yokote says, as he begins rummaging in his bag.

"No, Yokote...that's fine. We'll be there shortly." _And if not, I'll pass out and sleep until we get there._

As the group allowed the fire to fall prey to the howling winds, they readied their snowmobiles. Yokote and Brom mounted theirs, then waited for Sage and Liss.

Liss was standing near the snowmobile, waiting for Sage to take his seat. He turned to her, then motioned for her to get on first. "You nearly froze to death on the way here. You need to ride where it's warm. I'll ride on the back."

"But Sage...I'm used to Dezolis' temperatures. You aren't. Besides...you need the practice driving the snowmobile. And your arms aren't long enough to reach the controls easily behind me."

"Thanks for calling me short. And it'll work. We just have to sit closer together than we were." With a sigh, Lissandra gets on the snowmobile. Sage sits down behind her, and wraps his arms around her waist. She's a little shorter than he is, and he can see over her shoulder easily. She's rather cold at first, but having her snuggled up next to him is doing wonders for the warmth situation. She sighs, and seems to relax. He starts the snowmobile and they begin their journey to the cave the map identified as "The Lair of the Snow Queen."

_Ayame and Danielle are locked in a furious battle. Ayame is firing off energy blast after energy blast, with little effect. Danielle is not even bothering to dodge, as her shield absorbs the blasts easily. She occasionally fires a blast back, which Ayame is hard-pressed to dodge. Her shoulder still aches from Danielle's first attack. Ayame seems to be losing ground rapidly. 'I can't keep this up forever', she thinks. 'I'm not even putting a scratch on her, and she can blast through my shields effortlessly everytime. Maybe I should try a different tactic. Why do I want to beat her, anyway? She's a part of me, whether I like it or not...'_

**"Ayame, you can see you are powerless against me. Are you done futilely trying, or can I kill you now?" **She fired a massive beam of purple energy at Ayame that knocked her to her knees. She stepped forward, looming over her as she charged a Demon Roar.

"No, I'm not going to give in" ' Emotion provides power here, so I just need to focus on how much I hate her. That'll work...' Ayame thought back to all the pain Danielle had caused the people of Pioneer 2, and how she had stolen her body. The images of X being beaten flashed in her mind. 'Even though he is controlled, he didn't deserve that.' Then she thought of Lucca, who had been hit with a Black Energy Wave. She wasn't sure if Lucca was alive or dead, but the mere thought made her angry. The voice began to whisper in the back of her mind, and she gave in to it. 'Darkness...give me the strength to defeat her!'

An evil laugh reverberated through the mental landscape. Ayame began to glow with a fierce red energy, and her eyes reflected the glowing red aura that grew around her. Her wings turned black, and she got to her feet. Extending her wings, she flew into the air. Charging energy, she fired off a Demon Roar of her own at Danielle, who countered with the one she'd been charging to finish Ayame off. The two shining black haloes met in midair, each being fed with energy by their owners as they struggled for dominance.

**"Wow, Ayame. You're actually getting mad. Is the little baby finally tired of being weak? No matter, I'm still going to kill you. You're too weak. You don't deserve to live. Now die!**" Danielle redoubled her efforts, and her Demon Roar seemed to grow.

Ayame was floating, straining with effort as she tried to push back Danielle's blast. When she thought of protecting herself, Danielle seemed to win. When she thought of killing her opponent, her blast grew larger. Focusing all the rage inside her, she sent it careening into her Demon Roar. Her attack absorbed Danielle's, then rapidly accelerated towards her. It struck her head on, penetrating her barrier effortlessly, then exploding into a coalescing dome of darkness.

When the smoke cleared, Danielle was kneeling. Her wings and the purple aura was gone, and she looked a bit the worse for wear.

**"Why you little ! I'm going to kill you. You think you can steal the conduit power from me? Not a chance. This is one of the only things I have power over you in. The conduit's power is mine. You can't take it. You may be able to hoard all the memories, and have everyone love you, but you can't have my power."**

With this, Danielle got to her feet and invoked her conduit power, replacing her wings. She fired off a rapid flurry of Demon Roars, which Ayame countered. Fully powered, they began blasting at each other furiously. With each blocked or dodged shot, each blast that failed to kill, they each got angrier and angrier. Soon, the only thought in either of their minds was to annihilate the other.The link to the Profound Darkness they shared began to resonate with their hateful energy, and soon a portal opened. They finally stopped trying to kill each other when the figure of Dark Falz appeared behind them. It cast a tech and obliterated the beach, sending them both into the dark oblivion of unconsciousness. Falz then began absorbing all the negative energy their battle had produced.

When the two of them awoke, they were laying near each other. Tattered, burned and bruised, yet they were still alive. Ayame moved first. It was her mind, so she was insulated a bit more against the construct-Falz's blast.

"Danielle...are you okay?"

"Yes, you little twerp. I'm fine. Why couldn't you have died...? Oh, no..." Danielle got to her feet with a panicked look in her eyes. "The conduit power...it's gone!"

"That's because the living embodiment of the conduit is standing about twenty feet behind you. All the negative energy we channeled during our fight summoned it. X was right...the conduit feeds off emotion. If you give it too much emotion, you lose control. If we don't defeat it here, it will possess my body and make your rampage look like a kid's temper tantrum."

"If you weren't such a spoiled brat, this wouldn't have happened! If you hadn't pushed all your negative emotions off onto me, I wouldn't have wanted to kill you. All it would've taken was a nice word every now and then. But no... you can't let me have any nice memories. You selfish little girl. You hoarded all the pleasant stuff for yourself, and left me to rot. Now you're going to pay for it. It's your mind, you defeat him. It has nothing to do with me..." Danielle turned and began to walk away.

_"Danielle... please. I swear to you that if you help me defeat Falz, I'll...let you have control. As long as you promise not to hurt anyone else. I realize I was wrong for pushing all my bad feelings off on you. I was a stupid little kid, and I didn't realize what I was doing was wrong. But I also know that you are just as scared and lonely as I am. Maybe if you can be shown that people can actually care for you, you won't be so bitter. I'll give you that chance as soon as we get out of this. I swear to you..."_

"Ha! You expect me to believe you? No one could possibly care for me..."

"Then why did JiEin, Sage and the others not kill you when they had the chance?" Ayame asked, staring into Danielle's hate filled green eyes.

"Because...they didn't want to hurt you, stupid. They didn't care about me at all." For the first time, Danielle had a look of hesitation on her face.

"That's not true. They could've killed you, and Sage could've exorcised your presence from my body. They wanted to give you a chance. Now please...help me. Falz is coming closer." Her statement is punctuated by the appearance of a horde of Darvants. The two newmen girls run from the spinning blades as they continue their argument.

"Why can't you just wake up and take control? Are you that weak-willed? Or just too stupid to think of that?"

'She's reaching for anything to discredit me. She doesn't want to believe me. How could I have made her hate me this much...?' Ayame thought. Looking around for anything to draw her attention away from her hate-filled companion, she looked back over her shoulder. Falz was summoning his Heaven Punishment attack. As the searing purple beam lanced down, she leapt sideways at Danielle, pushing her out of the beam's deadly path. It hit Ayame, engulfing her in a wave of purple fire. She screamed, and slumped to the ground. Inside the medical lab, the alarms connected to Ayame's body went crazy. Her vital signs had bottomed out all of a sudden. Medical personnel rushed over in a frantic attempt to save her life.

_'She...she saved me. Why? And how do I beat Falz without her? Why do I even care what happens? If she dies, I can be free. Either I take over her body, or we both die. Either way, I don't have to put up with this pain any longer.' Danielle thought._

Falz screamed, and began chain-casting Rafoie at her. She knelt, picked up the body of her counterpart and began running as fast as her legs could take her.' Why don't I give in? Oh yeah...because I'm a stubborn . I'm not going to let some measly little bogey-man conjured up by the mind of an immature teenager kill me. I'm definitely going to hold her to that promise, though...' She ran across the construct of the beach, looking for a place to hide Ayame's still figure. Finding a cave about halfway around the 'island', she placed Ayame inside, then stepped outside to face Falz. As she was leaving, Ayame spoke. "Here...take this. You'll need it." Ayame was fumbling at her belt, her hands weak and unsure.

Danielle stalked back over to her, and knelt beside her. "Stay still. If you die, your body dies. And I haven't had nearly enough fun yet. Conserve your strength, you fool."

"I will...just wanted to give you this first. I found it a long time ago, and apparently my mind remembers it. You'll need a weapon..." She managed to pull out a red capsule, and handed it to Danielle before she passed out.

Crushing it in her fist, the weapon inside sprang to it's full size. It was a shimmering blade engraved with runes. "Hmm...an Elysion. Interesting. Why couldn't you conjure up some healing items or something, though? Ah, well...this should do just fine." Readying the blade, she walked out to face Falz.

_Danielle stepped out of the cave, murder in her eyes. Raising Elysion high above her head, she was pleased to find that her techniques were working again. 'Ah...if we're both conscious, they don't work. And we can't use them on each other. But...we can use them on Falz. Excellent...' She cast Shifta and Deband on herself, then began running toward Falz. The few Darvants that popped up were swiftly cut down as she continued her mad rush._

As she approached the massive creature, it cast Rafoie at her. She managed to barely leap aside to avoid the blast, but was caught by a Rabarta wave as she landed. It froze her solid. 'I can't die like this!' she thought, sending a wave of technique energy through her that shattered the frozen prison. Charging Elysion with the electrical force of a level fifty Zonde, she plunged it into the eye of one of the three heads of Falz's chariot. After stabbing it, she brought the electrified blade across and then down, decapitating one of the three chariot's heads. Falz screamed in rage, then slumped. The chariot dissolved, and it began to hover around the platform.

'Hmph, one down...two to go. This should be fun.' As Falz' weak point appeared over the edge of the platform, she began chain-casting Barta as fast as she could. The rapid-fire waves of ice struck the demon, freezing it solid. Leaping at it, she charged her blade with Foie. "Why not?', she thought as she executed a leaping upward slash with the flaming Elysion. "Ryuenjin:Ni" she cried. The flaming slash did incredible damage, and the massive Foie wave that followed blasted a hole in Falz's chest. Descending from performing her stolen technique, she watched as Falz turned blue and shrank. A ring of magical energy embedded with shining glyphs formed, carrying her into the air as Falz sprouted wings. 'Last one. It seems that Falz is only as powerful as the current state of Ayame's hatred. She's out cold, so it's pretty weak. This shouldn't take that long...'

On Dezolis, Sage and the group are in the middle of a howling blizzard. Everywhere around them, there was only a white blur. He heard Lissandra's voice in the back of his mind. _"Sage...we should be near the cave. If we don't find shelter soon, we'll freeze to death. Get Brom to check it out. We can't see a thing in this weather."_

"Ok, sure." Sage contacted Brom, who replied that there was indeed a system of caves nearby.

The group headed towards the caves, which were only about thirty yards from their current position. In the opposite direction. If Brom hadn't found them, they would have frozen to death. As they pulled up to the caves, they were startled to see an intoxicatingly beautiful woman swathed in a white cloak approaching them. She seemed like an apparition conjured from the snow. _"Liss, take the controls. That must be the Snow Queen..."_ Sage fumbled in his robes for his Red Handgun, but before he could draw it it heard a soothing voice in his mind.

_"Put that away, please. I won't hurt you. It's been oh so long since I've had...guests. Please, come inside and enjoy the hospitality of my home."_

"Are you...the Snow Queen?"

Sage heard soft, sultry laughter in his mind. _"Some call me that, yes. But you may call me Lorna."_

Lutz spoke. _"Sage...this woman is a demon. She is not to be trusted!."_

"Demon...? I'm hurt, Lutz. It's been so long since we've seen each other, and this is how you greet me?"

Sage could feel Lutz's surprise. Lorna wasn't supposed to be able to detect that. With a small twinge of uneasiness, he leaned forward and told Lissandra to follow Lorna. He then radioed the instructions to the others, who followed Lorna as she lightly stepped across the snow. Looking down, Sage saw that she was barefoot. Curious, he and the others followed her into her cave after gathering their bags and parking the snowmobiles.

On Pioneer 2, JiEin is talking to Labyrinth inside his office. Leah is in the med lab waiting to see if Ayame pulls through.

"JiEin, I have a request to make of you."

"Yes, what is it, Labyrinth?"

"I need you to go to Ragol and retreive X's katanas. I think we may need them to help break Zionus' control over him. They should still be in the temple where Zionus attained his power. Scans show it to be deserted, other than some monsters. Could you go? We have few competent Resistance members to spare. They are all in training."

"Very well, I'll go. What are the coordinates?"

After relaying the coordinates to him, Labyrinth watched JiEin leave. He then contacted the Dreamchasers, informing them that they had another two hours to prepare.

JiEin makes his way to a teleporter, but with Danielle's recent rampage, the closest teleporter to Ragol's surface that was left standing was near a bar. As he walks by, he sees the limp body of one of Zionus' soldiers go flying out of the bar. The tall, violet-haired figure of Neifirst strides out of the building, adjusting the broken claw on her right arm. Seeing JiEin, she stops.

"Hello, Neifirst. Did you send that man flying?"

"Yes, I did. Would you like to join him? The group of soldiers managed to break my claw, and I still have some frustration to take out. This 'Zionus' fool is causing havoc everywhere. I'm trying to find where his base is. I'm tired of listening to his endless televangelizing."

"Well, there's a group of like-minded individuals known as the Resistance who could help. I've joined the group, after my restaurant was destroyed."

"That little purple hellion?"

"Yes. It turns out that it was an alter ego of Ayame, infused with the power of the conduit. She beat up X. You'd probably like her..."

"Why is X following Zionus, anyway? I know he's a little twerp, but he's usually not that stupid."

"Mind control. Actually, I'm going to retrieve his katanas. They may be able to help break the mind control. Would you like to join me?"

"You're an errand boy now, JiJi? For X, no less...how pathetic."

"They are located in a ruin on Ragol, filled with monsters. X was fighting Zionus when he was captured, and they were left there. I'm going to retrieve them. If you're looking for a fight, you may find it there."

"Sure, why not? I've got nothing better to do. And my Claw's broken. I guess I'll have to use my Meteor Cudgel. But why do you think the swords will help?"

"Because of the way X's mind works. He seems to have a strong emotional bond to his katanas, enabling him to use immense power when connected to them. We are of the opinion that could help break the brainwashing. Orochiagito seems to have a soul of it's own..."

"Sure, I'll go. And I'd like to meet these Resistance people. If nothing else, it'll give me someone to beat u- , I mean spar with..."

The newman and the android continued on their way to the teleporter. As they reached it, they saw three of Zionus' soldiers chasing a cat.

"Do you think that's...?" JiEin asked, turning to Neifirst.

"Keiko? Most likely. I can't think of any other reason why these morons would be chasing a cat."

Neifirst strode up to the first soldier, tapped him on the shoulder and punched him in the face. He slumped to the ground, unconscious. JiEin smacked one of the others with his spare wok, since using Ji Sword would have likely killed him.

The third ran into a wall chasing Keiko. She leaped onto his shoulders, sprang off and transformed into her humanoid form in mid-air, landing in a crouch. Whirling, the blue-haired newman girl delivered a roundhouse kick to the soldier's face, her grey boot slamming into his temple, knocking him to the ground. Turning to face Ji and Nei, she smiled brightly. "Hi guys! How've you been?"

"Pretty well. The Imperial Wok was destroyed, and now I'm working for the Resistance." JiEin replied.

"Fine." was all Neifirst said.

"Oh, ok. I was shopping when these guys tried to arrest me. Said something about how I couldn't be allowed to run free because some 'Lord Zionus' guy didn't want unregistered shapeshifters running about."

"Yes, Zionus has been causing many problems lately. The Resistance is planning to stop him." JiEin replied.

"Sounds like fun. But why's X with him? He seems like a bad guy..."

"X is being mind-controlled. We're going to retrieve his katanas, since his strong emotional bond with them may help. Would you like to accompany us? There may be some resistance. There has been a lot of D-Cell activity picked up from the ruins. "

"Oh, so he left them on Ragol?"

"Yes. He was captured fighting Zionus, and the katanas were left there."

"Oh, ok. Let's go, then. I haven't had a good workout in a while."

The group proceeded to the teleporter, and beamed down to the surface of Ragol.

Materializing on the surface of Ragol, JiEin, Neifirst and Keiko begin to make their way through the forest to the temple. Their beam-in spot is a short distance away from the temple where Zionus first usurped the power of the Great Light. The minimal resistance they encounter is swiftly quelled. Neifirst's claw was broken, so she's using a Meteor Cudgel. JiEin has his Ji Sword, and Keiko is slashing all that approach her with her katana. Within about fifteen minutes, they make it to the temple.

Inside Zionus' citadel, Eriror is kneeling before the throne of Zionus. Zionus motions for him to rise and give his report.

"My Lord...I am sorry. We were unable to stop the destruction of your base. My weakness is not worthy of your glory, master."

**"The prime subject of the facility was successfully retrieved, was it not? That was your primary mission. Your valiant effort enabled the secondary squad to obtain the product successfully.Preparations are taking place now for the second stage of my rapture. Do not trouble yourself, my servant."**

Eriror looks completely stunned. He gazes at Zionus in wonder. _He truly is great! He is able to turn failure into victory. I shall praise his wisdom all the more."_

"Thank you, O' Great One. What may I do to serve you?"

**"Kikuu has been damaged beyond repair. I would have you see to his proper disposal, then head to the lab. His replacement has been found. See to it that Kimiko is repaired, then retire to your quarters until I summon you."**

Eriror bowed, turned and strode from the room. After informing the technicians of Zionus' wishes, he went to the lab where a short, black-plated Hucaseal was on a diagnostic table. The head technician bowed, then spoke.

"Sir Eriror, this is the newest member of your squad. She is named Shard, and I hope she serves you well." Flipping an activation switch, the lights on Shard's mechanical body flashed to life, and the female android sat up, turning her head to address Eriror.

"You are commander Eriror, correct? I am programmed to serve you. What is your command, sir?" She said, in a flat synthesized voice.

"Could you make her less...mechanical? Activate her personality programs, then set her to training. I must rest for now." Eriror said. The technician bowed, and Eriror left the room. Walking back to his quarters, he dwelled on what Lord Zionus had said.

_So the clone must be almost ready. I wonder what he plans to do with the original? He failed him three times already..._ Eriror had made it back to his room, and removing his armor, swiftly fell asleep.

The Dreamchasers are reporting to Labyrinth, after securing their equipment and readying everything for their mission. Labyrinth gave them the coordinates, then began to review the plan.

In the medical lab, Ayame is tossing and turning, her body spasming violently every now and then. Her vital signs are still sporadic, but not quite as weak. Leah sits by her, maintaining a constant vigil as her niece fights to live. Nurses and doctors bustle about, checking her readings.

On Dezolis, Sage and the others have arrived at Lorna's cave.

Inside Ayame's mind, a furious battle rages between Danielle and the manifestation of Dark Falz summoned by Ayame's rage.

_Danielle leaps back, barely avoiding a powerful slash from the glowing figure of Dark Falz. The photon blade on its arm sinks into the circle of runes. Before he can withdraw it, Danielle has leaped at the arm, charging her Elysion with Barta. "Hyouretsuzan:Ni!" she cries, stabbing the freezing blade into Falz's arm. The creature cries in pain as it's arm is impaled into the artificial surface it created. With a fierce downward slash, she severs the arm, then continues in a strike at its face. The blade cuts deep, but it backs away before it becomes lethal. The Elysion is pulled from her hand as it sticks in Falz's side, and as it flies upward the blade falls to the ground below._

'Well...that can't be good,' she thinks, watching her weapon plummet to the ground. 'Guess I'll have to do this the hard way...' She begins running to avoid a volley of blue energy blasts Falz fires at her. Ducking and dodging, she is so busy avoiding the blasts that she is hit by a strange beam. Looking up, she sees a faint image of herself float towards Falz. 'Oh, you messed up now, pal.'

Unfortunately for Danielle, the flurry of Level 50 Foie techs she cast hit Falz, but reflected the damage onto her. She passes out with a look of shock on her face.

Inside the cave, Ayame begins to stir. Reaching into her belt, she finds the Trimate and Trifluid she stashed there. Breaking the capsules, she allows them to work their healing magic. A few moments later, she slowly stands. 'Hmm...feels like Danielle's been taken out. I wonder what happened? I'm glad I didn't give her my last two healing items. I need to go help her, though.' Casting Shifta and Deband on herself, she leaves the cave to head towards the emanations of Falz.

Lorna escorts Sage, Lissandra, Brom and Yokote into her home. Lissandra is very pale, and is being supported by Yokote and Sage. Lorna moves toward the fireplace, then looks disdainfully at her barren woodpile. Lissandra is shivering, and is gently placed on the bed by Sage, who has a worried look on his face.

"Excuse me,gentlemen?" She says, turning to Yokote and Brom. Batting her big blue eyes, she asks "Could you go get some more firewood, please?"

"In the middle of a snowstorm? Are you certain that is wise?" Yokote asks, as Brom simply fixes her with his yellow-eyed mechanical gaze.

"Everything will be fine. I can cast a charm on you to allow you to find your way through the storm, and protect you from the cold. However, to help your friend get warm, we need a fire. And since I was expecting company...I'm terribly sorry." Lorna said, walking to Yokote and placing a hand on his arm. "Could you do this for me, please? I must tend to your friend. She's near hypothermia, and I am a healer..." Yokote looks down at her arm, then nods.

As this is going on, Lutz speaks softly into Sage's mind. _"Sage...be wary. She is not a normal woman. I fear she may try to entrance you. Be careful. She can pick up on our conversations if we do not shield. If you wish to converse with me, just think. Shield your thoughts, and don't use telepathy."_

"Very well, miss. I shall do as you request. Just apply the charm, please."

Lorna slides the hand on his arm up to his shoulder, reaches out with her other hand and grasps his other shoulder. Leaning in, she brushes her lips lightly against his forehead.

"There you go. And...Mr. Android? I don't think you'll need a charm. Can you go with him to help carry the wood, please? With all these guests, we'll need a lot to last the night."

Brom stares at her for a second. _Who does this woman think she is? She's definitely 'attractive' by meatbag standards, but...ah, what the hell. Why not? I have nothing else to do, and maybe I'll get to kill something._

Yokote and Brom grab a small sled from the wall, and step outside into the howling blizzard. With Lorna's charm, Yokote can easily see that there is a forest close by the cave. Brom is nearly impervious to the weather.

"Let's not stay out here too long, fleshie. My joints'll frost over." Brom says to Yokote as they enter the forest.

"I would ask you not to call me 'fleshie', please. My name is Yokote." he says, with a slightly offended look on his face. Lorna's charm has made him feel as if he is walking through a warm spring day. _I wonder why I have so much trouble thinking clearly around that woman? It is not merely her beauty... she must be a powerful mage. I will make haste. I do not feel comfortable leaving Sage and Lissandra alone unguarded around her. She makes me...uneasy._

Yokote and Brom head deeper into the forest, searching for trees that are not so thickly covered with snow. Inside Lorna's abode, Sage is kneeling by Lissandra. Suddenly, he feels arms closing around him. He jumps as warm breath tickles his ear. He feels his face turn red, and moves to stand. Whirling around, he sees that Lorna is kneeling behind him, hugging him. She's taller than he is, so she's not crouched, simply leaning. She has removed her pristine white cloak, and the only clothing she is wearing is a rather tiny bikini, which leaves little to the imagination. The view from the front as she leans over is breathtaking, to say the least. She stands, smiling at Sage.

"So, Sage...now that we're alone, I'd like to _talk _to you. We were never properly introduced. I am Lorna." she says, extending a hand to him.

Sage takes a deep breath, then looks down at Lissandra. She is sleeping peacefully, seemingly without a care in the world. She'd passed out on a heap of blankets, and although she was shivering slightly, seemed to be fine. Steeling himself, he stands.

"Hello, Lorna. I'm Sage." he says, taking her hand and shaking it. _What the hell...? My hands are sweaty. Why am I so nervous?_

_Because...I think you like what you see, eh?_ Lorna's voice spoke into his mind.

"Lutz told you to shield your thoughts, remember? And I'm sure he told you all sorts of other evil things about me too. I don't know why he dislikes little old me, though. I'm harmless..." she said, as a pouting look spread over her face.

"Oh...right. So, what did you want to talk to me about? And how can you do all this?"

"All what...?" She says, as she flashes a dazzingly innocent smile.

"The charm, the sleeping spell on Lissandra, the thoughtsensing... And how did you find us?" _And how is your...outfit enough protection against the cold? I'm fully clothed and I'm freezing._

"Hmm...well, I guess you could say I'm special. And you're getting better at this shielding thing. I only caught 'I'm freezing' this time. If you're that cold, I know of a way you can get warmer quite easily..." She looks at him with one blonde eyebrow raised suggestively.

"Um...Rafoie?" Sage asks, chuckling nervously. _What is it with this lady? I know I'm not that charming...._

"Yes, of course. And you are certainly charming. If not, that grouch Lutz would never have chosen you."

"So...how do you know Lutz?" Sage asked, trying to change the subject.

"I've had...dealings with the Espers before. I'm afraid they don't like me much..." Lorna said, smiling at Sage again.

"Ok. What did you want to talk to me about, again?"

"Valiant attempt to change the subject, hon. But... you seek to defeat Zionus, right?"

"Yes, actually. That's why I came to Dezolis. But how did you know that? I wasn't thinking about that when I came here, and I would've felt you probing my mind for the information."

"I've actually been watching you, Zionus and the strange girl with the Darkness conduit for a while, now. There are far too many people playing around with the power of the gods, and it could get out of hand. I'd like to help prevent a disaster. Will you let me help you? I have a device you will need to help you retrieve the Rings of Stars" She says, as she moves closer. Sage is relatively pinned in a small area, and can't move away. As she steps closer, he can smell the subtle scent of orchids. Her perfume is entrancing, and almost against his will he moves towards her.

He is abruptly stopped by Lutz's scream in the back of his mind. _Sage, watch yourself! She seeks to drain your energy, and steal your soul! _

Shaking his head to clear it, he opens his eyes wide and stares at Lorna. She smiles coyly at him, and reaches for him. Cupping his face in her hands, she stares into his eyes with an amused look on her face.

"He's not exactly..._lying_, but he makes it sound so **bad**. It's actually rather...fun, being drained. Or so all the villagers tell me. Draining requires a lot of prolonged physical contact, and the best way to distract from the odd feeling is to make them feel pleasure at the same time. The best way to do that is... well...the thing you've been thinking of since you first saw me."

Sage starts to back up, and nearly trips over a chair behind him. Lorna moves her hands to his shoulders, steadying him easily. Her strong hands lightly caress his upper arms before moving to his shoulders.

"But I've never drained anyone that didn't want me to, (or just simply _want _me) and I'm not about to start now. Coercion is so much more fun that intimidation, anyway. Besides... if I drain you, I get to taste both you and Lutz. For such a delicious meal, I'll gladly work a little harder. That, and seduction happens to be one of my hobbies. "

Sage was blushing brightly, and having trouble forming coherent words. _Wow... this is strange. I want to give in, but... at the same time, I don't trust her. I'm sure it would be fun, but I'm rather attached to my soul._ Dropping his mental shield, he spoke into her mind.

_" I'll make a deal with you, okay? If you help me beat Zionus, I'll let you drain me. How's that sound?"_

Lorna seemed taken aback by the influx of his thoughts. _He's so strong-willed. Mmm...tasty. This will be fun. But I'm going to be really disappointed if I don't have him. Then again...the chase is the best part._

"So you like strong wills? Good. I've had to develop a lot of willpower to control my abilities."

Lorna was shocked. _How did he read my thoughts? I was shielding...he is good. I have to watch myself._

Sage slid his arms around her waist. _Hah, I've got her off balance. She didn't expect me to go on the 'offensive.' I may be able to get her to help me after all. But why don't I at least give in? I could probably block the soul drain, and she's certainly attractive..._

Lorna released him, and pulled away with a sigh of regret. "Well...if you won't let me drain you, I suppose I'll have to convince you. But you don't seem like the type to go in for the type of 'convincing' that I usually use...sad, really. It'd be fun for both of us. Yet if you want to tease me like this, I'm afraid I can't just hang all over you. I'm not that type of girl... We should probably get to know each other first, otherwise that over-active conscience of yours will beat you up." She grinned brightly at him, and began to wave her hands in a complicated pattern, weaving strands of light together. In the middle of the orb of light that formed between her hands, he saw Yokote and Brom walking in a snowy forest.

"Are they still looking for firewood? They're walking right by it..."

"Yes, that's my fault I'm afraid. I wanted to ensure we'd have our 'alone time', so I cast a spell of illusion to keep them wandering through the same section of forest until I broke the spell. I warded them against danger, but they are getting rather bored. Fortunately, they won't remember a bit of it when they return."

"Sneaky. So...do you want to go with us?"

"Why Sage...a date already? I'm flattered. But yes, I'll go. Your friend over there will wake up in the morning. The spell I cast on her will both repair the damage done to her body by the cold and soothe her mind of the nightmares she's been having."

"Wow, you're really thorough. It seems like you've done this before..."

Lorna laughed. " I like to ensure privacy for both my recreation and my meals. And you could provide both..." she said, batting her eyes at him seductively as the pitch of her voice dropped to a sultry whisper.

"Not that I'm not flattered, but since you broke the spell, they'll be back soon. And we wouldn't have enough time...'

"Really? I doubt it would take that long. But...you have a point. They will return soon. So, would you like to learn more about where we'll be going? I picked up a few bits of knowledge here and there..."

"Ok, but we may have to explain it again when they get here."

"That's fine. I get _lonely_ sitting here all alone, so I like to talk to people when I get the chance. The villagers that wander by oftentimes just want to jump straight to the draining. It's loads of ...fun, but not exactly intellectually stimulating. Could you tell me exactly what happened in the temple on Ragol when Zionus first appeared? I may be able to help you find a weakness."

Sage began to recount the tale of Zionus' ascension, as Lorna watched with a rapt expression on her face. Lutz spoke into his mind. _"Well done, Sage. I didn't expect you to be able to turn the tables on her, honestly."_

"Well...I had two things helping me. One, I've been friends with Dante for quite a while, and he's a master of manipulating women. I picked up a few things here and there. Two, I did what you wanted to do and were unable to when you encountered her. You gave in rather quickly...being an Esper leader is lonely, huh?"

Lutz's reply was short, sharp and obscene.

Brom and Yokote returned, dragging a sled full of firewood. As Lorna turned to greet them, she failed to notice Sage sighing with relief.

_I'm so glad they're back. If she'd realized I was bluffing, and unable to resist her for much longer...I'd be a soulless husk right now. I can't believe one of Dante's stupid tricks worked. Any more of that and my head would've exploded..._

He stood, and walked over to Lissandra as Yokote and Lorna started a fire. _If she hadn't have been here, I would've given in. Thanks, Liss. I just hope I'm never alone with Lorna again. That bluff won't work next time, and I came precariously close to losing my soul..._ He shudders, as Lissandra continues to sleep.

On Ragol, JiEin cleaves a leaping Gulgus Gue in two with his Ji Sword right as it prepared to pounce at Keiko. Neifirst is pounding a Bartle with her Meteor Cudgel, and it swiftly falls under the barrage of rapid-fire hits. Keiko looks over her shoulder at JiEin, seeing the Hildetorr leaping at him. She charges towards him, gathering flame to her blade. The hildetorr is met in midair by the leaping Keiko, and her Ryuenjin:Chou attack splits it in half. The massive creature's corpse falls to the ground, followed lightly be Keiko. As the red glow of it's burning body fades, a red box can be seen amidst it's corpse.

JiEin walks over to it, and picks it up. A quick scan reveals it to be a type of mineral known as Syncesta."Thank you for the assistance, Keiko. Do you need a Syncesta?"

"No...I don't have a Lavis. I like my katana, anyway."

"Neifirst, would you like it?"He asks, as she finishes demolishing the poor Bartle she'd cornered.

She turns to him, then laughs. "Nah, no thanks. I don't like daggers, and I'd need two for a Double Cannon. Keep it, JiJi."

JiEin stows the mineral in one of his forearm compartments, and they continue on to the temple.

Stepping into the dimly lit stone structure, they see signs of a previous battle everywhere. A few rooms into the temple, a group of Delsabers teleport in, followed by two Gran Sorcerers and an Indi Belra.

"Hmmph...thought the brat cleaned the place out, Ji?" Neifirst said, a gleeful smile on her face as she cast a swift Shifta technique. Readying her Meteor Cudgel, she blocked the leaping slash of the first Delsaber. The frenzy of elegant blocks she performed as the next two leaped at her allowed her to counter attack easily, and in seconds there were three dead Delsabers.

Keiko cast Jellen and Zalure, then rushed the Gran Sorceror that wasn't able to teleport away. One quick Raitonken:Chou attack later, and the katana buried in it's chest was sending a surge of electricity through it's dying body.

JiEin blocks the Belra's flying arm, then hurls a Freeze trap at the Belra. Just as it explodes, sending it's freezing mist outward, the Gran Sorceror teleports into it's area of effect. A few blows from the Ji Sword later, and the fearsome beasts resemble a hacked-up ice sculpture.

Continuing onward, the group comes to a large room deep within the temple. There is a massive pile of rubble in one corner, and an ornate door leads to what seems to be an antechamber of sorts. As they step inside, a pair of katanas can be seen laying on the ground, next to two sheaths.

"Aha, X's Agito and Yasha. Splendid." JiEin says, as he walks toward the center of the room. Neifirst and Keiko follow, but as he reaches the katana five Ill Gills warp into the room...followed by two Delbiters and about 10 Deldepths. A series of ornate runes on the floor begin to glow, and barriers of green energy spring up, dividing the room into three sections. JiEin is in one, with the Agito, the Ill Gills and half the Deldepths. Neifirst is in the adjacent one, with the Yasha, two Delbiters and the rest of the Deldepths. Keiko seems to be alone, until 8 Morfos warp into her side of the room.

The Ill Gill's first dash knocks the Ji Sword from JiEin's hand, sending it into the previous room. He dodges the second dash, and dives for the Agito. As his hand grasps the hilt, a wave of power floods through him. Drawing his wok, a series of images flash across his sensors. The records of the Pal Rappies, Mil Lilies and Tollaw he killed in his hunt for this weapon spring into activation. He grips his wok and lets out a robotic howl of triumph as a powerful Shifta and Deband are cast by the interaction of the mythical blade and the mythical cooking instrument.

Synchronized with his systems as they are, he is elevated to a fighting potential far beyond what he was originally built for. The Bluefull Section ID tag on his chest glows for a second, then shatters, raining fine shards of blue onto the ground. It is replaced by a blue sphere surrounded by a white S. He glows with energy as he tears into the Ill Gills and Deldepths with his katana/wok combo.

Keiko and Neifirst stare at him blankly for a second, stunned. They are then forced to go back to the task of keeping themselves alive. Neifirst narrowly dodges a Delbiter charge, and scoops up the Yasha. As the second beast begins to charge, she hurls the Yasha into its single green eye. The holy blade penetrates to the hilt, then falls to the ground as the Delbiter dissolves into a puddle of purple goo. Keiko freezes two adjacent Morfos with a Hyourretsuzan:Chou, then shatters them with a kick. Two more are taken out with graceful slashes. Turning to dodge the blasts of one, she is simultaneously hit with the beams of the last three others, and slumps to the ground.

Neifirst is beating on the remaining Delbiter with her Meteor Cudgel, but is surrounded by a ring of Deldepths and chain-Megided. She falls with a faint curse on her lips.

JiEin has taken out three of the Ill Gills, and all the Deldepths in his partition. As he sees his teammates fall, the true power he obtained is unleashed. He crosses his blade and wok as an arcane symbol akin to a photon blast appears underneath him. The enemies in the room freeze as the image of a man in a white martial arts uniform appears. JiEin cries out **SEGAAATAAAA SAAANSHIIIIROOO!!!!!!!!!** as a dome of white energy begins to spread outward from the mythical Saturn Warrior. The green barriers and the Morfos are obliterated, and the other creatures severely weakened. Keiko and Neifirst are revived, and a white glow settles over the three of them. As the image of Segata Sanshiro fades, an army of Ill Gills warp in.

The three begin to fight, protected by the mythical aura of Segata Sanshiro. JiEin catches the first dashing Ill Gill with his outstretched katana, and hurls it to the ground with a modified shoulder-throw. He stabs downward with his wok, and the powerful implement penetrates the armored chest of the Ill Gill, killing it instantly. It lets out a high pitched shriek as it dies.

Keiko is chanting, and creates a dozen copies of herself by casting Usetsemi: Chou. Her clones and herself dash forward, tearing through the Ill Gill's in their path with a powerful two-handed downward slash. The mingled cries of Juuhaazan:Chou drown out the death sounds of the Ill Gills.

Neifirst bats an Ill Gill into the air, then leaps and smashes it into the others before they can dodge. She jumps at them, descending into the crowd in a flurry of kicking, punching and striking with her Meteor Cudgel. They swiftly fall under her vicious assault.

Within moments, the superpowered group had killed the fifty Ill Gills that ambushed them. As one final Ill Gill, heavily damaged, staggers towards JiEin, he draws his ladle and channels power through the metal of the ladle, sending a bolt of white energy at it, blowing its head off. It slumps and dies, and the three survey the carnage they have caused.

The glow around JiEin dies, and he puts away the wok and Agito. His section ID is still changed, however. Neifirst turns to him and punches him, as Keiko looks on in amusement.

"Ji...what the hell was that? And what do you have to gain by screaming like an anime fanboy? The kid is a bad influence on you, I swear." Picking up the Yasha, Keiko creates a telepipe as JiEin retrieves his Ji Sword.

"I...am not entirely sure, Neifirst. When I combined the power of the wok and the Agito, something happened. Memories of my hunt for this weapon were triggered, and I obtained a power boost far beyond my original design potential. Regardless...we should return."

The three telepiped back to Pioneer 2, and headed for Resistance HQ.

The Dreamchasers and Labyrinth are inside his office, going over the last steps of their plan.

"Ok, so we teleport near his base, sneak in and find X. Then the logic bomb you put in his computer goes off, his security systems go haywire, we incapacitate X and escape. Is that the general idea?" Nova asked, going over the data in his PDA one more time.

"Yes, Labyrinth said. And if you need to, we have a panic button set up to allow you to call for help from us if necessary."

'Wow, large room for error here... We sneak into a mad god's hideout, kindnap his highest ranking soldier, run away and hope we don't die a horrible death. What could possibly go wrong...?" Axios said, with a skeptical look on his face.

"Well...we are the best at stealth and infiltration, Axios. If we can't pull it off, no one can. So...we ready?" Kiara asked, standing.

"Sure, sure...I have my will and testament written out, and all my worldly affairs are in order. How about you two?" Axios said, pushing back his chair and getting to his feet.

"Ax, it can't be that bad. I've handled a room full of Deldepths, Delbiters, Sinows and Morfos solo. Kiara is a master infiltrator. You are very good at causing distractions. We can do this. Let's go." Nova stood, stretching, and headed for the door.

"Remember, you can call us if you need us. Our forces are not capable of standing up to Zionus' army in total, but we may be able to take on small groups of his soldiers if need be. Good luck, Dreamchasers." Labyrinth watched them as they left, then glanced down at his desk as his communicator went off. JiEin had returned. He walked to the door, and went to meet JiEin.

Inside Ayame's mind, Ayame prepares to face Dark Falz.

_Danielle got taken out somehow. It's up to me now. And I have no weapon..._

Bracing herself, she headed towards the two glowing rune circles blazing in the sky of her mind.

JiEin, Neifirst and Keiko are standing in the hallway outside the medical lab. Labyrinth comes up to meet them, and asks about Ayame's condition.

"We just got here ourselves. And we were able to retrieve X's katanas."

"Very good. Who are your new companions?"

"This is Neifirst", JiEin said, pointing to the silent newoman standing beside him with her arms crossed.

"And I'm Keiko" Keiko replied brightly. "Are you Labyrinth?"

"Yes, I am. Would you like to join us in our fight against Zionus?"

"JiJi already gave us that speech, and sure. I've been too long without a good challenge." Neifirst answered. "But what's wrong with the kid? And when did she grow up?"

"Ever since the release of her Danielle personality and its subsequent forced dormancy, she's been comatose. However, her life signs have begun to get stronger. We think she may be coming out of it." Labyrinth stated.

"That's good to hear. I'm going to go see Elly for repairs, and to run a few tests. Something...odd, happened to me in the temple on Ragol. Please inform me of Ayame's status, Labyrinth. Neifirst, Keiko... you can come with me, or you can stay here. I'm sure Labyrinth can show you around." JiEin turned and walked off.

"Danielle...that purple glowing hellion that went on a killing spree the other day? I knew that kid would make me proud..." Neifirst said.

"Keiko, do you wish to stay here with Ayame, or would you like me to show you to your rooms? Neifirst, you are welcome to come too."

"Nah, Lab, I'll stay here. I want to talk to Ayame about her powers when she awakens." Neifirst settled into a chair to wait.

"I'll go, Lab! I want to take a shower, cause I'm all covered in monster blood." Keiko followed Labyrinth, as Neifirst stared in the window at the medical center.

_That girl was always powerful, but I'm wondering when she became a conduit. Perhaps when Zio died? I must ask her when she awakens... C'mon girl, fight._

On Ragol, Eriror is awakened from his slumber by Zionus' summon. He dresses quickly, hurrying to the throne room. His master is going to engage the final stage of the project today, and wants Eriror there to observe.

As he reaches the throne of his master, he is startled to see the figure of X. _I thought the master was going to punish him for his failure? Unless...oh! I understand now..._

Outside Zionus' citadel, the Dreamchasers swiftly take out two guards, then rush to the side of the former Central Dome. Nova shoots a third guard with his Supressed Gun, as Axios Megids a fourth. Kiara enters in their stolen security code, and they enter the Dome.

In Lorna's cave on Dezolis, the discussion is winding down. As the group drifts off to sleep in varying places, Sage sends a mental message to Nova.

_'Nova, is the plan coming along?"_

"Yes, Sage"

"I'm glad you let me be in on the meeting. I may be able to shield you somewhat from mental detection. Just be careful, my friend. If something goes wrong, just think really hard at me and I'll hear it. Good luck, Nova."

"Thank you, we may need it."

Inside Ayame's mind, she has reached the glowing rune rings. A beam of light teleports her up to face the manifestation of Darkness.

As she materializes on the magical surface, she spies a red box. Running towards it, she dives and picks it up as Falz unleashes a series of energy blasts. Activating the capsule, she withdraws the Twinkle Star from inside. 'I always wanted one of these. Too bad Uncle X gave me a Guard Wave for Christmas instead. Whatever I think here seems to happen, so lets try thinking of how to kill Falz.'

Raising the wand, she fires off a Foie that speeds toward Falz, hitting it directly in the face. 'Wow. This is great. Without a weapon, growing up let me cast quickly, but with this I can shoot Foie like a mechgun burst. Yay!' She releases a flurry of fireballs that do immense damage to Falz. As she dodges the counter-swipe from it's remaining arm, she is hit by a strange beam that causes a transparent image of herself to rise towards Falz.

'Oh, this must be that 'soul-steal' attack Uncle X talked about. I shouldn't attack him. Hey, what's that green box?'

Rushing towards it, she picks up a Moon Atomizer. As the image of her soul floats down towards her, she uses the Moon Atomizer on Danielle. 'I didn't want to revive her, but I feel incomplete without her.'

_Coughing, Danielle slowly rises to her feet to see Ayame standing over her. "How did you revive me? And how did you get revived?"_

"I had a Trimate left, and I found this Moon Atomizer on the ground. How did Falz beat you?" She said, as the two began running to avoid a series of energy blasts.

"He grabbed my soul and I fried myself. You wanna kill him now, or just keep running all day?"

"Let's kill him now. What did you have in mind?"

"Well, this is our mind. We have power here. Let's try that Dark Eternal thing you've been trying to make work."

"Ok, sure."

With that, the two newmen girls begin chanting. They warp to opposite sides of the circle, and shadowy clones of them surround the ring. As the chanting grows in volume, speed and intensity, the clones and the originals begin to hover off the ground. A pinpoint of shadow energy forms in Falz's chest as he swipes at one of the clones, doing no damage. The dot grows rapidly, expanding into a dome that rapidly consumes Falz, then the ring, then the landscape itself. When the destructive energy fades, Falz is a pile of ash, which swiftly blows away in the breeze. Danielle and Ayame awaken on the beach where they first met.

"Well, you're about to wake up. As much as I want to kill you, I realize I can't without a body of my own."

"Yes. I'll try not to exclude you from everything if you promise not to go on anymore killing sprees. Do we have a deal?"

"Sure, for now. But as soon as I gain the power to free myself, you get the pleasure of dying first at my hands."

"So nice to know a part of my mind wants to kill me. Well, see ya." Ayame fades out as Danielle sits down on the beach to wait. Suddenly, a giftwrapped present pops up on the beach. The tag reads "To Danielle. Here's something to help you pass the time."

As she opens the present, a large door appears, marked 'To Theater'. Opening the door, Danielle is sucked inside a movie theater, where mental movies of all the good memories Ayame had withheld from her begin to be displayed on the screen. 'Wow... she really is trying to not be such a brat anymore. Wish I had some popcorn, though...' With but a thought, the world's largest, greasiest bucket of popcorn appears, followed by a soft drink cup the size of a small person.

"Wow...I may make her death quick now. She's actually trying." Settling back, Danielle begins to enjoy the memories that have been withheld from her. In each scene, instead of Ayame being in them, it's Danielle. Something strangely close to contentment fills her heart, for the first time not brought on by wanton destruction.

Inside the medical lab, Ayame's eyes open and she sits up. Instantly, Leah's arms are around her.

"Ayame...I'm so glad you're ok. We were so worried!" Leah says, as she begins to cry into Ayame's neck. Her words are followed by the arrival of Neifirst. Moments later, Labyrinth and Keiko burst into the room, followed quickly by JiEin and Elly, JiEin still trailing wires from Elly's diagnostic machinery.

Outside Zionus' throne room, alarms are blazing. The corridor is dimly lit by red emergency lights as four people run down the hallway.

"So...who are you people? You look vaguely familiar, but I'm not quite sure where I know you from." X says, running quickly.

Kiara, still slightly hurt from the punch she took from X's clone, stops running for second to cast Resta. "We're the Dreamchasers. We were sent by Labyrinth and Sage to rescue you from Zionus."

X stops running, and turns to stare at her. "Oh, right. You don't think you could have done it a little sooner, maybe? You know...before I was forced to nearly kill my niece?"

"Wow. We're really sorry we couldn't drop everything we were doing to come help the great X". Axios quipped.

"We have been very busy, X. Besides, we were planning for you to still be mind controlled. We recently found a way to break it, but it turns out that Zionus broke it himself." Kiara said, casting Resta.

After Kiara healed herself, they continued their flight. A guard popped out of a doorway, and X, weaponless, swung at him. It missed by a good three feet. He was felled by a hit from Axios' Rokujou.

_What the hell is wrong with me? The guard was distracted. I should've been able to take him out effortlessly._

By this point, their mad dash to safety has brought them outside the Cental Dome. As they burst from the building, they are surrounded by ten guards. Nova throws X a capsule as they prepare to fight. "Take this. Not a katana, but may still be useful."

X cracks open the capsule, withdrawing the Calibur from inside. "Ok, time to die guards. I've been wanting to do this for a long time..." X rushes at the nearest guard, and manages a clumsy swing that is easily sidestepped by the guard. The guard counters with a hit from his DB's Saber to X's side that knocks him to the ground. As the guard prepares to finish him off, he is simultaneously hit by a Foie from Axios and a burst of gunfire from Nova, killing him.

Kiara parries the nearest two guard's strikes with her Kamuis, and kicks one in the stomach, doubling him over. She sends a jolt of Zonde down the handle of the other guard's weapon, immobilizing him.

Nova blasts five of the remaining guards with a special shot from his Spread Needle, immobilizing them. The helpless guards are finished off by a few more shots.

Axios unleashes a Megid blast at one guard, crumpling him. The remaining guard's weapon is sliced in two by Axios' double saber, followed by his torso meeting the same fate.

X slowly gets to his feet, a dazed look on his face. "Thank you for the save. Something is wrong with me, I think."

"Yes, I believe Zionus wasn't lying when he said that part of your soul was missing. You look...pale. And your limbs are twitching every now and then." Kiara said, looking him up and down. "And that clone was super strong. That hit would've taken my head off if not for Deband. I think somehow some of your strength got transferred to him."

"That would explain this...empty feeling I'm having. Even my link to the conduit seems weaker, somehow. Well, anyway...thanks for the save. So where are we going now, and why aren't we trying to kick Zionus' ass?"


	7. Search for Hope

In the medical lab of Resistance Headquarters, Ayame is finally awake. She is not her usual bright, happy self though. Surrounded by Leah, Neifirst, Hahn, JiEin, Elly, Labyrinth and various technicians, she is hearing the full story of Danielle's actions. Although she could see some of it through her mental prison, she was not fully aware of everything that had went on. As she hears more and more, first from JiEin, then from Leah, and finally from Labyrinth, her heart sinks more and more. Closing her eyes, tears begin streaming down her face as JiEin recounts her alter-ego's battle with Zionus' troops.

"They hit Danielle with a stunning ray, and Leah and I ran to help her. After she had been anti'ed, she got back to herr feet and obliterated the soldiers. Then X showed up and began to battle her."

Leah gazed at her, noticing the tears. Leaning over, she hugged her, then began gently stroking her hair as Ayame broke into wrenching sob. "Hey honey...it's ok. We know you couldn't control what was going on. No one blames you for what she did..."

Pulling away all of a sudden, Ayame sat up straight, her eyes blurry with tears." I blame me for what happened! She's a part of me, and I couldn't stop her. From what you told me, a lot of innocent people got hurt. I nearly killed all of you. I blew up Mr. JiEin's restaurant. I went into one of those places you never told me to go to. I even beat up uncle X! I'm a monster!" She broke down, slumping onto the bed and crying softly. Leah reached for her, but Neifirst surprised everyone by leaning over and grasping her by the shoulders. She shook her softly, til Ayame opened her eyes and looked up.

"Ms...Ms Neifirst?" Ayame said, her eyes wet and red with tears.

"Kid...snap out of it. We all make mistakes. It's when you fail to correct the mistake that it becomes a problem. Danielle is a part of you, and hiding from that will only make it worse."

"But she did all those horrible things. I don't know how I can stop her... I don't even know exactly where she came from."

Neifirst released her, then put a hand on her chin, pressing upward so Ayame was forced to gaze into her eyes.

"Danielle is you when you get angry, right?"

"But...I don't know how! Getting mad makes me feel all funny inside..."

Raising her left hand, Neifirst backhanded her across the face. Leah leaped forward, but was stopped by an outstretched hand from Nei. They exchanged a look, and Leah sat back down.

Ayame's head turned, but she snapped her gaze back to Neifirst and unconsciously began charging a Foie. Neifirst simply looked at her and smiled.

"That fury in your eyes... it's a part of you, no matter how much you want to deny it. You are a conduit, just like me. Our emotions give us strength. To deny that is to deny who we are. You nearly killed yourself by not learning that. You are young, and innocent. You never had to learn how to really defend yourself. You made a mistake, because of youth and inexperience. If you fail to correct it, that's when it becomes a problem. Are you going to let Danielle continue to be this shadowy figure that dominates you, or are you going to take back your rage?" Neifirst stared at her, surprised when Ayame held her gaze unflinchingly.

"Teach me how, Nei. Teach me to control my power, please." Ayame said. She still looked weak, but a look of determination was settling across her features. " I don't want this to happen again."

Neifirst turned to the doctor, who had just completed his scan of Ayame. "Well, how is she? Can she be up and moving around again?"

After surveying his readings, he said."Yes, she seems to be fine. Moving around will help her work the last of the sluggishness from her system."

Neifirst turned to Labyrinth. "Lab, do you have a training room we can use for a few hours?"

Leah opened her mouth to speak as Ji, Elly and Hahn watched in mute surprise. "Nei, you can't be seriously..."

"Yes, I am. She needs training. What's to say the next tiny little thing that upsets her won't cause another killing spree? We need to train her while her other personality is still regenerating from it's battle. This may be one of our few chances..." Turning to Ayame, she asked " Do you still want to go train? I won't go easy on you..."

Ayame sat up a bit straighter, keeping her eyes locked on Neifirst. "Yes, Ms. Nei, I do. Can we go now?"

"Sure...if your _aunt_ will so graciously allow us." Neifirst said, shooting a glance at Leah.

"I...Ayame, if you really want to, and the doctor says you are ready, then..." Leah said, her posture admitting defeat.

JiEin spoke up. " I wish to accompany you, Neifirst. You are suicidal, and I can be rebuilt more easily than Leah if things go awry. Besides, I would like to give Elly a chance to study some of the new abilities I seem to have developed."

Nei let out a harsh laugh as Ayame got to her feet. "Yeah,JiEin...you could say that. But this may be fun." As Ayame stood unsteadily, she swayed forward, Neifirst reaching out to catch her before she hit the floor. Steadying her one-handed, she released her as she regained her balance. "Easy there, kiddo. You don't get to fall down til we get started."

As Ayame and Neifirst walked to the door, Keiko in cat form leaped at Ayame. She caught her in midair, and held her for a second before releasing her. Keiko curled around her legs, purring softly before resuming her humanoid form.

"Hi, Ayame! Glad to see you're feeling better. I may join you after I eat lunch. Lab, is there any food around here?"

As Lab prepared to answer, he was interrupted by a loud growl from Ayame's stomach.

"Um...I'm kinda hungry. Can we eat first, Ms. Nei?"

"Sure, why not. You'd probably pass out from hunger soon anyway. Let's go."

"I can cook, if there are proper facilities" JiEin said as the group left the Medical Lab.

"Please do. Our kitchen and cafeteria is this way." Labyrinth said.

"Umm...Mr. Lab? I hate to bother you...but could I take a shower and change clothes somewhere? I'm all icky and dirty." Ayame said, surveying herself in a window as they walked in the vast complex.

"Very well. I'll show you to a room. The cafeteria is through those doors, everyone." The group split, as Lab led Ayame to a room. "Everything you require should be in this room, Ayame." With that, he left her. She quickly stripped and began to shower.

Inside the cafeteria, JiEin is as overawed as a robot can be. "These kitchens are as well equipped as my restaurant!" He swiftly began to prepare a meal as the others gathered around.

Thirty minutes or so later, the delicious smell of well-cooked noodles is wafting through the air, as clouds of delectable steam billow gently from the kitchen. The group at the table, consisting of Neifirst, Keiko, Leah and Elly are discussing Zionus' latest actions, when the cafeteria door opens. Ayame walks in, but she is barely recognizable as herself at first. She is dressed in a black, red and purple outfit that is rather revealing in several places, advertising her newly transformed body. Her long purple hair is hanging freely down her back. With the grime and dirt from Danielle's battles and her transformation removed, she is stunningly beautiful.

She walks over to the table and sits down as the other four stare at her. "Hello, everyone!" She says brightly, as JiEin brings in a stack of bowls and a wok full of noodles. He pauses to stare at her for a second. _I am so very glad X is not here...he'd be hitting on his niece._ He sets the food down, passes out the bowls, then leaves them to serve themselves. Returning to the kitchen, he brings an enormous plate of spring rolls, setting it down on the table. "Enjoy!" he says, then wanders back in the kitchen to finish his kung-fu movie.

The five dig in to their food, the silence broken only by the sounds of very intense eating. After they finish, Ayame looks up from her empty bowl and sighs. "That was wonderful. I can't believe I ate so much..."

Elly rubs her stomach, and stretches. "Yes, JiEin is an excellent cook."

"Yeah. Ayame, I've got a question for you..." Keiko said.

Ayame looked up from the chopsticks she had been playing with."Oh, what is it Ms. Keiko?"

"When did you grow up? I saw you not two months ago, and you were about a foot and a half shorter and had the body of a little kid. When did you grow up, kiddo?"

Ayame looks at her for a second, puzzled, before a flash of recognition crosses her face. "Oh, yeah! Dr. Hahn removed the blocks on my growth in the lab, then speed-aged my body to the age it should be at. I'm a lot more powerful now, too. Even without Danielle's conduit..." she said, as her tone became solemn.

"Well good, kid." Neifirst said, as she lazily picked her teeth with the splintered end of one of her chopsticks. "As soon as your food settles, we get to go test your limits. Should be fun..."

"Neifirst, don't get carried away. I'm going to be watching in case anything goes wrong, Ayame. Don't be worried." Leah said, glancing at Neifirst.

"I'm not, Auntie Leah. This will be fun." Ayame said, as JiEin entered the room.

"So...are we ready?" He asked as he gathered up the dishes

After everyone answered in the affirmative, he spoke once more. " I must do the dishes, then we can go." Ayame sprang up and ran to help him. "I'll help, Mr. JiEin!" Elly stretched and followed her, and within about fifteen minutes the kitchen was clean again.

The group parted ways, with Keiko going off for a nap, Elly heading back to her lab, and the others going to the training area.

Stepping inside the control room, Leah watched as JiEin, Neifirst and Ayame entered the VR room. Labyrinth appeared behind her, and began to pull up the simulation they requested.

Inside the VR room, the calming vista of a forest plateau overlooking a vibrant sunset appeared. JiEin walked off to the side to observe, as Neifirst and Ayame faced each other.

"Ayame...I want you to try and hit me, ok? Punch or kick, or whatever...just try to hit me." Neifirst said, crouching slightly into a battle stance.

"Ok, Ms. Neifirst. Are you ready?" Ayame said, smiling at her. When Neifirst nodded, Ayame sent a Foie straight at her chest. The impact of the flaming sphere slammed into her, knocking her to the ground. Before she could stand, the damage had been healed by Ayame's Resta.

"I meant physically... lets try this again, without the techniques." Neifirst said, gritting her teeth.

She then began to instruct Ayame in hand-to-hand combat techniques, as Leah and Labyrinth looked on. JiEin was the practice dummy, after Shifta and Zalure had been applied.

On Dezolis, Sage is awakened by the rattling of pots and pans. He slowly uncurls from his blankets to see Yokote and Lorna bustling about, making breakfast. He looks over to Lissandra, who is sleeping soundly, and Brom, who is currently deactivated in the corner. Covering his head with the blankets to block out the accursed light of day, he is surprised by a mental caress from Lorna.

_"Wake up, sleepy head. I saw you move. Yokote and I are making breakfast, then we need to head off to find the Landale, as we discussed last night. And... you aren't as good at bluffing as you think you are. -"_

Sage let out a low groan and rolled over. _Ah...just a few more minutes...that's all I ask._

In the mines, a group of three hunters is searching for something. The large red RAcast in the lead blasts a leaping Sinow Red to the ground with his Guilty Light. The floundering machine is swiftly finished off by a jet black Hucaseal wielding a Double Cannon. Behind the Hucaseal, a massive fireball flies from the tip of a Windmill cane to incinerate the Dubchich attempting to attack her from behind. The Windmill is held by a small, pale, dark-haired Fonewearl dressed in red and yellow. The Racast speaks in a deep synthesized voice. " So...how many times have we done this hunt, Raiden? "

The Hucaseal answers, her lilting voice belying her incredible combat ability. "Far, far, far too many. I hate Baranz..."

"Well, at least you get to enjoy the wonderful atmosphere of the mines, right Striker? Except the atmosphere sucks, and the current residents are not at all friendly..." The tiny Fonewearl known as Cranberry interjected.

"Yeah. I think some of these are my distant relatives...' Striker answered. The group of hunters continued on to their destination, as a fierce battle loomed far aboveground.

A group of around fifty soldiers level their Yasminkov rifles at X and the Dreamchasers, as their leader Eriror draws his Zanba. X's clone is simply standing beside Eriror, smirking. He is unarmed, a mirror image of X. X's dark hair, green eyes and black bodysuit are mirrored in the clone's blonde hair, cold blue eyes and white clothing. He faintly glows with power, even to the naked eye.

Nova sketches a faint hand signal at Axios and Kiara, who both nod slightly. X is in the lead, and doesn't see it. He stares intently at the clone, seemingly thinking. Eriror readies his Zanba, but before he can signal his troops to open fire, the clone speaks.

**"Why do you stare at me so intently, mortal? Are you saddened by the fact that the potential your devilish soul wasted has been put to use by the light? Fear not, for your death will be quick."**

X smirks, and replies. "Nah, I was just thinking how glad I am that I never decided to go through with bleaching my hair. Blonde hair looks terrible on me. You look like a deformed fusion of anatomically incorrect male and female dolls. You, my friend, are fugly. So fugly, in fact...that you don't even seem good enough to have a name."

**"Silence, fool! I am the sum of all things. I...am Sigma."**

_Elsewhere, an elite squad of deadly Capcom lawninja is dispatched to remove two intrepid fanfiction authors...anyway, back to the plot._

"Wow, that's real cute. I'm not sure if it's your name or your disturbingly genderless appearance, but I find myself strangely discouraged from attacking you. I don't like to hit girls, you see..." X quips, as Sigma quakes with rage.

**"I am your exact clone, you insolent wretch!"**

"Hardly. I'm much cooler looking, more handsome and a better fighter. I can't do that cool reverbrating voice thing, though. And...isn't 'exact clone' a bit of a misnomer? More like...'exact clone that was kidnapped and beaten severely with the ugly stick for about a month before being released to die'. Too bad you are too worthless to warrant a mercy killing. If I was Zionus, I'd want a refund... " X says, taking a battle stance.

**"You insolent fool! Die!!"** Sigma says, as a pulse of white light comes off of him. A single pristine white wing shoots from his back as a glowing aura surrounds him. He begins to hover, held aloft more by his own power than his inefficient single wing as the Dreamchasers look on in shock.

X simply smiles, and replies "Wow, that's nice. But you see...I can do that too. Zionus' gene chefs should have studied the blueprints more closely. There is only one X! X releases all the rage that had built up during his period of being mind-controlled. Seeing Zionus controlling his body like a puppet while his conscious mind was helpless had driven him nearly insane with rage.

With an outlet for his emotions, his conduit is reawakened with a vengeance. Calling upon his link to the darkness, the familiar black aura appears around him, and a lone, black feathered wing shoots from his back. _Wow...this is a lot more draining than usual. I hope I can keep up the transformation..._ he thinks, but no trace of his worry shows on his face.

Sigma raises his hand, and a blinding white halo of light appears from midair in front of him. **Angelic Scream!** he cries, as the halo shoots toward X.

_Heh, sorry pal. No one copies my attacks and gets away with it! Well...no male, anyway._ X raises his hands, and channels energy for a massive Demon Roar. He fires, and the black halo of energy shoots toward Sigma's attack, intercepting it in mid-air. As the Demon Roar left his hands, X slumped slightly. _Firing that was really draining. That was harder to summon than my Hyper Demon Roar. And the thing is...it's normal sized! What the hell...? _

The opposing attacks collide in mid-air, sending off a bright shower of light. X seems to be straining to his utmost to fuel his attack, as Sigma barely flinches. The Dreamchasers then make their move as Sigma begins to gloat.

**Ha, fool! Do you see? I am the superior one! Mwahahaha-"** Sigma's ranting is interrupted by a bazooka shell from Nova detonating at his feet. The shell is boosted in power by Axios and Kiara's technique energy, and additionally had a freeze trap attached Nova had stolen from one of Zionus' guard robots. The immense explosion knocks the troops to the ground, who are frozen a second later. Eriror manages to barely leap away in time, as Sigma is buffeted by the shock wave. Squinting to avoid the glare, Eriror sees X collapse to the ground, his wing fading. With X's resistance gone, Sigma's attack slams into the ground, creating an enormous crater and killing a few of the soldiers that escaped the bazooka shell. When the smoke clears, X and the Dreamchasers are gone.

Inside the VR training room, Ayame is going through a series of punches and kicks aimed at JiEin, as Neifirst looks on. With Deband on JiEin and no Shifta boost to the unarmed Ayame, she is incapable of actually doing damage to him.

"No, no. Straighten your wrist out more. Like this." Neifirst says, as she walks up and delivers a punch towards JiEin's face that is swiftly blocked.

After a few more tries, with both JiEin and Neifirst giving her pointers, Ayame was able to throw at least a half-decent punch.

"Well...let's try something else, Ayame." Neifirst said, as she walked over to the center of the clearing, motioning for Ayame to follow. Ayame bounced up and down, excited.

"Ooh, ooh! What now?" She asked. _This is a lot of fun._

"I want to see how quickly you can cast your techniques. JiEin and I will both attempt to attack you, and I want you to try and incapacitate us, or avoid the attack. We won't actually try to hurt you. Well...not lethally, anyway." Neifirst said, a grin spreading over her face. "Are you ready?"

"Yeah! But I don't want to hurt you..." Ayame said, a hint of worry in her voice.

"Relax, Ayame. I'm sure that unless you really try to harm us, any damage you do will be relatively minor." JiEin said, taking a stance beside Neifirst. "Ready, Ayame?"

"Yes. Let's go."

Neifirst rushed at Ayame with a kick, but the momentum of her strike was swiftly reduced by Ayame's Jellen. Ayame was able to block the kick, but was forced to rapidly backpedal to avoid a punch from JiEin. He hadn't put any real force behind it, and the Jellen made it so it wouldn't do any appreciable damage.

Running to avoid a flurry of hits from Neifirst, she struck back with a Foie that knocked Nei back a good five feet, leaving her scorched and moaning on the ground. As JiEin leaped at her, she countered with a Zonde that struck him in mid-air, overloading his systems and sending him plummeting to the ground with a loud crash.

"Oh! I'm so sorry, you two. Here, let me help..." A quick Reverser and Anti later, and the two slowly got to their feet. Ayame looked on remorsefully.

"That was...really impressive. What level Foie was that? It felt like I got hit by a meteor." Neifirst said, rubbing her head.

"Um...level 50."

"50!? You're kidding me. Those were only theoretical..." Neifirst said, a look of disbelief on her face.

"Nope. The Zonde was level 50 too. Dr. Hahn helped develop them. He gave them to me when I grew up. All of my techs are level 50 now..."

"Impressive. Well...you are decent in hand-to-hand, and your techniques obviously need no work. Let's work on the conduit thing..." Neifirst said, walking gingerly back to the center of the clearing.

Bracing herself, Neifirst pointed her hand at a grove of trees and began gathering energy. A pinpoint of darkness appeared over her hand, before forming into a miniature Demon Roar and shooting towards the trees. As the blast left her hand, she seemed drained. Two of the ten trees in the cluster she was aiming at were blasted to splinters. "Ayame...can you try that?"

"Try what?"

"Firing what your 'uncle' calls a Demon Roar. It's a manifestation of the conduit power in physical form. Using the power of Darkness, it creates an incredibly powerful chain-reaction, resulting in a large amount of energy being released for comparatively little technique energy. If you were using normal techniques to equal the devastation of a Demon Roar, it would take much more technique energy to do. It takes more all at once to fire, but in the long run is more efficient. The only problem is that we aren't used to pouring that much power at once into a single technique, so it's rather draining. It converts technique energy to destructive force in a ratio much higher than any other technique, but it takes so much technique energy to generate that it's harder to use than other normal techniques."

"Oh. I've seen it before, I just can't do it." Ayame said forlornly.

"Why not? You have the technique energy for it, and you are a conduit. You should be able to fire off these things like that Foie you fried me with."

"I've tried...I can't. It doesn't work for me."

"Focus all your anger. It gathers strength from emotion. The stronger the emotion, the more the power of Darkness can be tapped into. You have to have a certain level of emotion to draw enough energy from Darkness, and your technique energy gets burned to keep the pathway open. Think about...how angry Zionus makes you when he makes you fight X." Neifirst suggested.

"I'll try, but I don't think it will work..." Ayame said gloomily, as she turned to face the stand of virtual trees that Neifirst had assaulted. JiEin looked on, turning his scanners on Ayame to measure how much energy she was putting off.

_Peculiar...Neifirst seemed to need to use all her energy to fire off that single small attack. Ayame used nearly double that in the Zonde she cast at me without even flinching. It seems that she should indeed be able to do this easily. X would probably be a better teacher at this than Neifirst, if he were here. Nei has never been able to fully control her conduit power. She is probably not the best to be teaching Ayame, but at the moment she is all we have. This should prove to be...interesting._

Ayame stared at the trees, braced herself in an unconscious imitation of Neifirst, and seemed to be straining to gather power. Nothing happened, though, at least not on the surface.

To JiEin's scanners, it was obvious that she was burning an incredible amount of energy, with no visible effect.

Deep within Ayame's mind, Danielle was inside the psychic 'movie theater', reviewing old memories. _What is that brat doing, anyway? She's using up technique energy like it's water. And why is she acting all childlike and annoying again? I thought we had a deal worked out...Oh! I get it now...Heh, makes more sense. Well, I'd better keep a close eye on this. If she drains herself into unconsciousness, I can get out and have a little fun. I can't believe that Neifirst smacked us. It'll be interesting to see if she can actually activate the conduit. I doubt it though...she's too weak-minded._

Ayame flared with energy for a brief second, and a silhouette of black wings appeared in mid-air. When she collapsed heartbeats later, the wings swiftly disappeared. Neifirst rushed over to her, applying a Moon Atomizer and a Trifluid, then steadied her as she got to her feet.

_Astonishing! It seems as if she almost awakened the conduit through sheer energy output. X always said he needed to boost his power with emotion, otherwise he couldn't activate it. Ayame seems to be able nearly to achieve it on pure technique energy alone. That's amazing. _JiEin thought, as he continued to watch.

Inside the observation room, Leah looks on, startled. _That...it felt just like when X uses his conduit. But he said that Darkness feeds on emotion. The stronger the emotion, the less draining it is to the technique reserves. Ayame seems to be trying very hard, but the emotion just doesn't seem to be there. However, the fact that she is nearly capable of summoning the conduit power simply by throwing a lot of technique energy around is incredible. If X had her technique reserves, he could likely beat Zionus by himself. If she can learn even half of his control, her power will be frightening. Oh, X...where are you?_

Ayame stood unsteadily, blinking. "Ow...my head hurts."

"You almost did it. I think you have the hang of it, now you just need to get good and angry and you'll have it." Neifirst said, smiling. "What makes you really angry?"

"Um...when the ice cream man is out of chocolate pops? That's really annoying. Why sell ice cream if you run out of the good kind?"

_"Arggh! This kid is hopeless." Danielle screamed inside her head._ In a more distant part of Ayame's mind, a shadowy figure looks on. _My younger self seems to grab control at the most inopportune times. When Danielle and I defeated Dark Falz, I was briefly in control. However, as soon as my body regained consciousness, my younger and more immature self regained control. I think I could almost do this, if I had control at the moment. But there is never a good time. We seem to always go from happy to angry. When happy, Ayame is in control. When angry, Danielle. I never get a chance to step in. Perhaps if my younger self even acknowledged my existence, things would be easier.Oh, well..._

"No, Ayame. That's not anger. That's a nuisance. What about when you are fighting? Do you ever get angry then?" Neifirst said, a look of exasperation clouding her features.

"No. If I get angry, I might really hurt someone. Hurting people is wrong..." Ayame said, looking at Neifirst with a completely oblivious expression on her face.

On Dezolis, Sage has finally been dragged from his comfortable bed by the combined efforts of Lorna and Lissandra. Lissandra had awoken fully-recovered, and though she seemed a bit surprised by Lorna's attire, soon helped in awakening Sage. Lorna ripped the blankets off him as Lissandra grabbed him and dragged him from his bedroll. Ten minutes and two very strong cups of tea later, he finally stopped hating the world in general. The group dined on a quick breakfast, then readied their supplies.

The snowstorm of the night before had abated, leaving the world outside a soft, gently gleaming white. Brom reactivated himself as Lorna was searching her cave. He was hit by a flying shirt as Lorna dug through her clothes trunk.

A few minutes later, with the majority of her cave in disarray, Lorna proudly held the shining Aero Prism aloft. "Aha! I thought I put this thing away somewhere. It is said to help us find the path to Rykros. Now all we need is transportation."

"There are reports of an ancient ship not far from here. We could try searching there." Yokote suggested.

"Sounds good to me. Oh, and this food was really good!" Lissandra replied, finishing her breakfast.

"Seems like a plan." Brom replied. _Damnable rotting sacks of meat. How long does it take to get ready...?_

Sage, although still not entirely able to walk around without bumping into things, seemed to be at least somewhat awake. "Sure, that'll work. I just need a while to wake up..." His sentence was interrupted by Lissandra bashing him with a pillow at the same time as Lorna threw his backpack at him.

Twenty minutes later, the group was packed and ready to go. Lissandra and Sage got on one snowmobile, Lorna and Yokote on another, and Brom on his. They set off towards Reshel.

On Ragol, X and the Dreamchasers are speeding through the forest as fast as their legs will take them, dodging branches and tree roots. After getting a safe distance away, they stopped beside a dense group of trees to catch their breath.

"Well...now what, Nova?" Kiara asked, leaning against a tree.

"Hmm...there is a cave system here that leads to the mines. We could take that through, to get around Zionus' interference shield. I'm certain there are either functional teleporters back to Pioneer 2, or a spot where we can telepipe back." Nova said, after pondering for a moment.

"Wow, the mines. We always have so much fun there..." Axios quipped.

"This sucks. Not only did Zionus create that fugly clone of me, but he drained all of my power to do it. He even had the nerve to copy my attacks. That bastard. I'm going to kill him so painfully, there hasn't even been a word invented to describe it yet. Is there anything we can do to get me back to normal...? " X asked, a whining tone becoming apparent in his voice.

"Not at the moment, no. Hopefully...we'll be able to figure something out. But right now, we need to hurry. Our distraction probably won't hold them for much longer." Nova said, starting down the path.

A brief trip on the snowmobiles brought Sage's group to the town of Reshel. As they approached the city, they were hailed by the city guards.

"Halt! Please show identification. We have had bandit problems recently, and we must constantly be on our guard."

Lissandra dismounted the snowmobile, and threw back her hood. "I am Lissandra, an Esper. We come seeking knowledge. My companions are Sage, Yokote, Brom and Lorna."

The guard on the right removed his helmet, smiling at Lissandra. "Liss, it's Stefan. How have you been?"

A flash of excitement crossed Liss's face, and she ran to give Stefan a hug. "Stefan, it's so good to see you again!"

Sage looked on, a suspicious look on his face. As he turned away, he caught Lorna's eye. She had an amused little grin on her face.

Releasing Stefan, Lissandra turned to the group. "This is my hometown of Reshel, and this is my cousin, Stefan."

_Oh, good. Her cousin..._Sage thought.

_"And why do you care? You seemed very interested in Lorna, last night."_Lutz spoke into his mind.

_"Shut up, Lutz. Please. I'm very tired."_Sage replied, as Lissandra headed back towards the group.

"You can park your vehicles inside the town walls." The other guard said, as Stefan replaced his helmet.

Doing as they were instructed, they gathered their belongings, locked up the snowmobiles and ventured into Reshel. Lissandra looked around intently, taking in the details. "I haven't been back in a long time. I'd like to look around for a bit."

Sage thought for a moment. "Hmm...well, we need to get information on the whereabouts of that ship that is supposedly around here. Do you know who might know?"

"The mayor, most likely. He is a wise and just man. I'll show you to the town hall, where his office is. Follow me.'

With Lissandra leading the way, they swiftly came to the town hall. Lissandra approached the guard at the entrance, a grizzled middle-aged man in red armor.

"Krassus? It's Lissandra. Is Mayor Grahf in?"

The man looked at her blankly, then replied, a smile spreading across his face. "Lissandra! How are you?"

"I'm fine. My companions and I need to speak to the mayor, please."

"Oh...did you not hear? Mayor Grahf retired. The new mayor is the mayor's former assistant, Jacen."

"Oh. Well, can we speak to him, please?"

"He's not in right now. Come back in two hours, please. I'd suggest you find an inn or something while you wait."

"Very well. Thank you, Krassus. We'll return in two hours."

The group continued down the main road, coming to an inn shortly thereafter. As they walked inside, they were met by a matronly looking lady who embraced Lissandra. "Liss! It's so good to see you again."

"Good to see you too, Aunt Kyra. My companions and I need a room for the night, and we were wondering if you could accommodate us."

"Why, certainly! We haven't had many visitors lately, so nearly all our rooms are open." She proceeded to show them to their rooms. With the recent dearth of customers, they each had a room to themselves. After stowing their gear, they went downstairs for a late lunch.

As the group heads downstairs for a late lunch, Brom goes into his room. "I'm going to power off for a while. I'll be awakening in about two hours." _Ignorant fleshbags. I'm not sure why I haven't killed them yet._

"Ok, Brom. See you in a while." Sage said, as he followed Lorna, Lissandra and Yokote downstairs. Seating themselves at a small table, they were quickly approached by Lissandra's aunt. She was carrying a tray with four bowls of stew. After placing this on the table, she returned with bread and drinks. The four began to eat. A few minutes later, Lissandra's aunt came back over to their table.

"Lissandra, dear, will you be able to stay with us more than a day or two? I so look forward to seeing you."

"I'm not sure. We are here on an errand, actually. We are going to meet with the mayor after we eat. Krassus said that he wasn't in at the moment."

"Yes. The new mayor is often busy..." Liss's aunt said, a worried look beginning to cloud her features. "Anyway, who are your new friends?"

"Oh, my apologies. This is Sage, the new chosen one of Lutz. Yokote is an Esper Guardian, and Lorna let us stay at her home when we got caught in a blizzard last night. Our other companion, Brom, is upstairs resting. He's an android."

"Well, nice to meet you. I've got to go get started on dinner. We usually have more customers trickle in as the evening wears on. Good luck with the mayor." With that, she headed back towards the kitchen.

Thirty minutes later, they were finished with their meal. Lorna stretched and sighed. "Ah...that was delightful."

"Yes, very. It was even better than the food in that other inn, back in Tyler." Sage said, finishing off the last of his tea.

"Even better than the food at the mansion," Yokote replied.

"This inn has survived mainly by my aunt's cooking skills. So, are we ready to go see the mayor?"

"Yes, I suppose. Why did your aunt look so worried when you mentioned that, though?" Sage said, getting to his feet.

"The old mayor was a wise, kind man. His assistant was greedy and overly ambitious. I knew him as a child. He's...not very fond of me, I'm afraid." Lissandra said.

"Well...I'm sure we can convince him to help us." Lorna stated. "It may just take some...persuasion."

The group left the inn and headed to the Town Hall. They were ushered inside, and met by a tall, thin man with lanky dark hair and a scowling face.

"I am Mayor Jacen. What is your business in Reshel, travelers?"

"We are looking for the whereabouts of the Landale. It was supposedly left in a subterranean complex near here, and we were wondering if you knew where it was." Lissandra replied.

"The Landale, eh? Lissandra...you know that's nothing more than a fairy tale, like all the other legends. I'm sorry, but I can't help you."

"But... we were assured it was near here."

"It is nothing more than a legend, I'm afraid. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm a very busy man. I trust you can find the way out on your own. Good day." Jacen turned on his heel and strode rapidly away.

"Well...he was certainly helpful." Lorna said, a frown crossing her face.

"Yes, well...Jacen has had a grudge against me since we were adolescents. Anyway, perhaps we could look around town some. I haven't been back in a while, and maybe someone else will know something." Lissandra replied as they left the town hall.

"Sure. I could swear that I heard it was last spotted near Reshel. It has to be near here." Lorna said, beginning to look frustrated.

"Relax, Lorna. I'm sure we can find something. Lissandra, should we all go with you, or no?" Sage said.

"Hmm...good question. Probably not, actually. I can get more out of people without a group around. They treat me as a kind of local celebrity here since I was trained by the Espers, but going around with a large group might be intimidating. You can stay at the inn, if you like, or simply wander around town a bit." Lissandra said, turning to Sage.

"Ok, sure. I guess we'll see you at dinner, then."

"Alright. See you in a while. Hopefully I can find something out." Lissandra said, as she turned and began walking down the street.

Yokote, Lorna and Sage went into the inn. Inside Jacen's office, he was railing at a large, unkempt man.

"Dammit, Blake! That Esper and her friends may ruin everything."

The bandit leader got to his feet. Reaching up to his shoulder, he grabbed the axe that hung at his massive back. Lightly caressing the hilt, he spoke. "Hmph. We've been taking out your opponents before, and you've paid us well. But this..."

"You said your subordinates in Tyler were taken out by an android, right?"

"Yes. Only a few of my brother's men escaped. My brother was not among them. Damn that android! If I find him...I'm going to break him."

"Well...Krassus informed me that the had an android with her. Androids aren't exactly common around here, so it's likely the same one."

Blake let out a snarl of glee. "Yes! If it is, I may do this one for free."

"Not only that, but you get to keep our agreement secret, kill an Esper Guardian and I get to finally have my revenge on that stupid girl."

Their conversation was interrupted by a knock at the door. Jacen opened it, and an aide leaned in, whispering something in his ear. Jacen laughed, a high, piercing sound devoid of any actual mirth. The aide quickly left, and Jacen turned to Blake with a leering grin on his face.

"They've split up. Lissandra is wandering the town alone, the android is in the inn powered down, and the other three are near the inn. How quickly can your men strike?"

"Hahahaha! Nice initiative. We can grab the girl within ten minutes. I've been meaning to try out an artifact we picked up, anyway. It cancels an Esper's powers. Do you want us to kill the men?"

"No. Not yet, anyway. Take the droid and Lissandra. You can also capture the skimpily dressed woman, if you like. The droid is yours to do with as you like. Simply incapacitate the men, and leave them. I want to have a bit more fun at their expense, first. Lissandra is not to be harmed too much. The other woman and the droid are yours to play with as you wish."

"Thank you. I'll tell my men to grab them now. What about our payment...?"

"You get revenge, a new toy and your usual fee. I'll pay you after completion of the job. Now, go."

Blake left the room, schemes already forming in his head.

Inside the inn, Yokote approaches Kyra. "Milady, is there a place where I could practice my swordsmanship?"

Turning from her cooking, she thinks for a moment. "Why, yes. There is a space behind the inn that was formerly used for tournaments held by the city guard. It should work."

"Thank you, milady." Yokote left the inn and went outside. There was an enormous flat expanse of ground, with a raised practice ring in the center. Calming himself, he stepped to the center of the ring. He withdrew two black cylinders from his belt, and began stretching, running through an elaborate kata to ready himself. He then flicked the activation studs on his sabers, extruding the gleaming purple blades. He started off slowly, gradually moving into an effortless dance of spinning blades. Anyone watching could have easily seen the invisible opponents he dueled with. Lost in the trance of his skill, he was nearly dead to the world.

Inside the inn, Sage and Lorna were sitting at a table. Lorna was idly twirling the cinnamon stick in her cider, as Sage slowly drank his tea.

"So, Sage darling...what would you like to do? We probably have a few hours before Lissandra gets back, and Yokote is busy. Would you like to 'renegotiate' our deal from the other night...? That could be fun, and we have plenty of alone time."

Sage nearly choked on his tea."I thought we settled that."

"Yes, dear. But...your childish bluff was so transparent I didn't even have to try to see through it." Lorna smiled brightly at him.

The blush on his face was evidence enough that she was right. "I..." he stammered.

"Relax, hon. I can tell I make you uncomfortable. If it bothers you that much, I'll stop. But, fear of a thing only makes it harder to face..."

Sage was bright red at this point. His answer was interrupted by Lorna standing and taking his hand. "Come with me. I haven't had a good snowball fight in a long time."

"Snowball fight?" Sage looked puzzled.

"Yes, why what did you think I was talking about? Silly boy. Let's go." Lorna practically dragged Sage outside. Flinging him aside, she raised her hands together, cupped them, and breathed gently. A perfectly formed sphere of snow appeared, which seconds later was flung directly at Sage's face. His hasty dodge saved him from being pelted, but the one she threw seconds later impacted him in the chest. Her third missile was telekinetically deflected as he crouched to make his own projectile. Coming up with a snowball in his hands, he threw it at her, guiding it with his powers to hit her in the shoulder.

"Alright, that's it. You are so dead." Lorna said, brushing snow off her bare shoulder.

Their furious mock battle continued. Downtown, Lissandra exited the house of an old friend. Waiting for her were fifteen large, rather unkempt looking men. _Bandits! But how did they get in here? I have to contact the others._

_"Sage, I need your he-"_ Her mental message was cut off by a pink beam that struck her in the side. It left a tingling in her side, and an empty feeling throughout her entire body. _Oh, no! They seem to have cancelled my powers somehow. I think that was one of the anti-magi beams I've heard about. I can't even use any techniques..._

Drawing her Caduceus, she braced herself for a fight. The first three bandits to approach her were swiftly knocked cold, but as her attention was on the group in front of her, one clubbed her from behind. As she slumped to the ground unconscious, Blake knelt and picked her up.

"Ok, boys. Stow her in the Ice Digger, and place guards over her. The rest of you, come with me. We're going to get that damnable robot." Blake handed Lissandra to one of his liutenants, as more bandits appeared. A group of about twenty headed down the street towards the inn where Brom and the others were staying. The few guards that saw them had been either threatened or bribed into silence, and the townspeople cowered behind their doors, thankful that the bandits were not targeting them.

The group of foul miscreants headed towards the inn. Yokote finished his training, and deactivated his sabers. He went inside, as Lorna and Sage's battle was interrupted by Sage grabbing his temples and slumping to the ground. Lorna felt a sharp pain in her head seconds later as well.

"Did you feel that?" Sage asked, as he slowly got to his feet.

"Yes, I did. I also thought I heard a mental message, but it was too faint to pick up. Did you catch it?"

"Somewhat. I think Lissandra's in trouble." As he shook his head to clear it, he was simultaneously screamed at by Lutz and shocked to see a large group of people headed down the street towards him. _Sage, look out! Those are the same bandits that..._

Lutz's reply was cut off as Sage was hit in the chest by the pink beam. He felt a searing pain in his head as the mental bond with Lutz was violently cut off. It felt as if a knife blade had been shoved into each of his temples. Letting out a moan of agony, he slumped to the ground as the horrific pain completely immobilized him.

Lorna turned to the group of bandits, fury in her eyes. "Who are you, and what do you want?" _I have to keep them away from Sage. He's completely defenseless. Why didn't I sense them, though? Gah. I was having too much fun to really pay attention. Hopefully Yokote and Brom can do something. Until I find out what happened to Lissandra, I don't want to run the risk of losing their trail. Perhaps I should play along. They don't seem all that dangerous, anyway._

"You, lady. You'll make a nice toy. We want your droid friend too." Blake said, stepping forward. Lorna backed away, appalled.

"Hardly! I'm not that type of girl. What did you do with Lissandra?" Lorna said, rage blazing in her eyes as she began to chant an ice spell.

"We captured her for a friend of ours. Now, will you come along quietly, or do we have to rough you up?"

_Sage, darling...you owe me big for this._"Fine, I'll come quietly." _At least this way, I can lead Sage and the others to us. Actually, I may not need to. As soon as I find her, I could probably get the both of us free. This may be fun... I haven't had a good workout in a while._ Lorna was led off by three of the bandits, as the rest of the group stormed into the inn, leaving Sage passed out in a snow drift.

Yokote rushed downstairs at the sound of Kyra yelling.

"What is the meaning of this?" He was answered by five bandits turning and opening fire on him. Although not lethal, enough damage was done to make him pass out. The bandits delivered a swift kick or three to his immobile body as they went upstairs.

After about five minutes of searching, they found the room where Brom was deactivated. At the sound of them coming in the room, he sprang up, drawing his daggers. Five of the bandits fell to his whirling blades, but the group that came in after that was able to immobilize him with a EMP. They dragged his defenseless frame out of the inn and met up with their leader. Throwing the deactivated Brom into the vehicle, they headed back to their base.

Lorna was tied up next to the unconscious Lissandra and the deactivated Brom. _Hmm...I suppose I should wait until these two are up and moving about before breaking these bonds. I can't cover all of us if they are defenseless. Besides, I think these bandits may know where the Landale is. Sage...please wake up soon._

On Ragol, X and the Dreamchasers have made it to the cave. Stopping to catch their breath, they hear the sound of dozens of footsteps running towards them. They rush into the cave, and are nearly bowled over by a wave of heat.

"Man...now Zionus' troops have probably found us. What a great rescue..." X complained.

"Well, since you seem to be so grateful, perhaps you'd like to stay with them." Kiara shot back. Running deeper into the cave, they heard echoing footsteps. Lava was seeping from the ground in some places, and there were signs of development here and there.

Axios turned and cast several Foie spells at the door they just passed through. Although it was now welded shut, it was only a matter of time before Zionus' troops broke through it.

"So, any bright ideas?" Axios said, resting from his exertions.

"We keep running. There should be a teleporter back to Pioneer 2 in the mines. I just tried a telepipe, and the distortion field is still active here as well. Let's go." Nova said. The group continued their flight as Zionus' troops were approached by Sigma and Eriror.

"Blast this door down, immediately." Eriror commanded his troops. Sigma simply stood there, fuming.

In the VR training center, Ayame has rested from her exertions, and is ready to try again.

"Ms. Nei...you said anger lets you use the conduit, right?" Ayame said, turning to face Neifirst.

"Yes, supposedly."

"Well... I can't make myself mad. I tried. You're going to have to do it." Ayame said, a forlorn expression on her face.

"Very well. Prepare yourself." Neifirst rushed at Ayame and began assaulting her with a series of punches and kicks. Ayame managed to block several of the hits, and Neifirst felt a thrill at her accomplishment. _I'm actually really impressed. She learned quickly. I don't really want to beat on her, but it is the only way to draw out her power._

JiEin, Leah and Labyrinth looked on as Neifirst and Ayame fought. With each hit Ayame was unable to block, the more frustrated she got. The look on her face soon turned from disappointment at failing to a slow anger. Inside her mind, Danielle was absolutely gleeful. _About time they wised up. The memories are nice, but a trip outside is far more fun than sitting around here. It shouldn't take long for her to lose control, and me to take over..._

Sage awoke inside the inn, in a bed. The pounding of blood in his temples made his head ache, but at least the horrific stabbing pain was gone. Opening his eyes, he sees Kyra standing over him. The guard from his original approach to the city, Stefan is standing with her.

Oh, good chosen one. You are awake. We were worried. Your friend is still out. He was shot several times. His armor absorbed most of the damage, but enough got through to still knock him out." Kyra said.

Sitting up, Sage felt the world spin. As he slumped to the side, he was caught by Stefan, who steadied him til he regained his balance.

"Take it easy. You seem to have taken a hard hit." He said.

"Where are the others?" Sage asked, a slight tone of panic becoming apparent in his voice.

"Lissandra, the android and your lady friend were all taken Your other companion is in the other bed, over there. He is still out." Kyra said.

"Alright. I think I can stand. We have to go after them..." Sage swung his legs over the side of the bed, and stood a bit unsteadily.

"I'm sorry. I couldn't stop them. There are only about three guards in the entire city that aren't in league with the bandits. Of those, one is now dead and one has a family to protect. I can accompany you, though..." Stefan began.

Sage held out a hand. "No, that's ok. You need to stay here and make sure we have a place to retreat to. I'm going to wake up Yokote." Sage walked over to Yokote, and with a quick Resta healed him. Yokote opened his eyes and sat up. "Sage...what happened? I was shot, and..."

"The same people that attacked us captured Lissandra, Lorna and Brom. They are bandits, and apparently in league with the mayor. We need to go."

Just then, Lutz seemed to awake in Sage's mind. The anger reverberating through him was evident even without him speaking. _"Those pathetic excuses for humanity must pay. They hit us with an anti-magi beam, sealing away your mental and technique powers. It broke the link to me, and if it hadn't worn off when it did I would have eventually disincorporated. We must go."_

Sage answered in the affirmative, then got a message from Lorna. _"Glad you're awake, sleepy. We've been captured and taken to their base. I can guide you to it."_

_"Are you all okay?"_

_"Yes...I'm fine. Lissandra has been taken into a room by the mayor, and although she's rather angry, she seems fine. Brom...has disappeared. I presume I'm supposed to be the entertainment for the bandits..."_

_"Oh, no. We'll hurry."_

_"Relax. I was simply waiting for you to regain consciousness. I'll have us out of here in a bit. Hurry, or you may miss the fun." _

Sage relayed the message to Yokote as they headed for the snowmobiles.

Inside the VR training room, Ayame is sparring with Neifirst. Although Neifirst is scoring hit after hit, Ayame is not getting angry enough or desperate enough to awaken her conduit. After about twenty minutes of this, Neifirst finally stops.

"Sorry, kid. It just...doesn't seem to be working. You aren't giving it enough emotion. It can't work unless you are angry or desperate."

"How do you know all this, Ms. Nei, if you can't fully control your power?" Ayame said, slouching forward with her hands on her knees to catch her breath.

Neifirst, breathing heavily, scowls and replies "Mostly from watching X, in all honesty. I can summon a Demon Roar, but I don't have a strong enough link to do more than that, no matter how much energy I give it. You are the opposite. You have a nearly unlimited channel to the Profound Darkness, you just can't open it. I guess we'll have to try something else..."

The VR simulation ended, and Hahn entered the room, accompanied by Labyrinth and Leah.

"You did wonderfully, Ayame." Hahn said.

"Thanks, Dr. Hahn. I just wish I could learn to control my power." Ayame said, a forlorn look crossing her face.

"Perhaps you can. Take a short break, then come back here in an hour. I've been working with Labyrinth, and I have a surprise for you." Hahn said.

"Ooh, ooh! A surprise. Yay!" Ayame said, beginning to bounce up and down in anticipation.

"You have to come back in an hour to see it, though. And I can't promise you will like it, but it should help you explore your powers a bit more." Hahn said, as Ayame left with Nei, JiEin and Leah.

"Thanks, Dr. Hahn!" The group left, heading to the cafeteria for JiEin to prepare another delicious meal.

On Ragol, X and the Dreamchasers are fleeing rapidly through the caves. They made it past a section filled with magma, through a beautiful underground cavern filled with waterfalls, and were now deep inside the subterranean complex. There were traces of development from Pioneer 1 scattered here and there.

Nova called them to a quick rest. They had been running for quite a while, and their sealing of every door they passed through seemed to have greatly hindered Zionus' troops in their pursuit.

"Well...we are almost to the mines. Hopefully the distortion field won't extend that far down, and we can escape."

Kiara looked up, breathing heavily. "I hope you're right. If not...we're trapped."

"Yeah, like rats in a maze. "Axios replied, sitting down to catch his breath.

"Dammit! If I was at even half of my normal strength, I could take on all of that idiot's troops..." X began.

"Yeah, we know. We've heard that about ten times already, and wasted breath that we should have been using to run." Kiara replied sharply.

"Besides, X...when you used your conduit power up there it made you pass out. Doesn't exactly sound like a worthwhile chance to take." Axios said, slowly getting to his feet.

"Hmph. Fine. Don't believe me. It doesn't look like I can do anything to prove you wrong at this point. I can't even fire off a Foie at this point, much less a Demon Roar."

Nova looked at him strangely. "So, why don't you use a fluid?"

"Zionus wasn't exactly big on keeping me supplied. I don't have any. Besides...I never needed them before. Stuff dropped too quickly." X replied, a slightly smug look returning to his face. Before he could start on another tirade, Nova cut him off.

"Well, I carry extra. Here you go. Perhaps this will help regain your power." Handing him the capsule, he watched as X used the Trifluid inside.

"Wow, thanks. I feel a bit better already."

Gathering their supplies, the group headed deeper into the caves. After about ten minutes, they came to a large, abandoned elevater. Activating it after a few minutes of fiddling with the console, they boarded it just as it began it's decent. They were lowered into the darkness of the mines as up above, Zionus' troops drew ever closer.

On Dezolis, Yokote and Sage are racing towards the bandit hideout on their snowmobiles, led by Lorna's mental message.

_"Well, good to know they didn't disable the snowmobiles. Things here don't seem to be all that bad, yet. That annoying mayor showed up and went into the room where they were holding Lissandra. She still seems angry, but rather unhurt. Her powers haven't returned yet, though. As for me...the other bandits seem to think I'm the entertainment. If you don't hurry, I'll have to change their minds myself."_

_"Ok, we are going as fast as we can. What about Brom? Have you seen him?"_

_"Unfortunately, no. He seems to be deactivated. From what I can tell, the bandit leader seems to have some sort of grudge against him."_

_"Hmm...well, if he is damaged he is the easiest of all of us to repair. If you can free him before we get there, please do."_

_"Hahaha. Sage, darling...I'm shackled to a post in a room with about fifty bandits leering at me. I think they are betting on who gets to 'have a go' at me first. But, I'll get right on doing your job for you, hun." _

The sarcasm in her mind voice was so sharp it hurt.

_"Well, it's not my fault you are far more appealing to the bandits than me. I think it's your outfit. If I hadn't been completely incapacitated with what felt like a dagger through my head, I would've stopped them."_

_"Tsk, tsk. And now you are blaming the victim. What kind of Esper are you, anyway?"_

_"At the moment, the pissed-off kind. Yokote doesn't seem too happy about being blind-sided either. Well, we should be there shortly. Any information about the defenses, or do we just go in blind?"_

_"Did I mention the whole 'shackled to a post' thing? I haven't exactly had time for detailed reconnaissance. I wouldn't worry about it, though. These guys don't seem too bright. Relax, Sage... this will be fun."_

_"I just don't want anyone to get hurt."_

_"Don't worry. I can tell you are very upset about them kidnapping Lissandra. Do I not matter...?"_ she said, her voice taking on an amused tone.

_"Um...anyway. I'd suggest you try to break free on your own. Then, if you can...find Liss and Brom. We will arrive in about two minutes. Be careful."_

_"Alright...have fun." _

Lorna broke the mental contact and went back to surveying her current situation. She was shackled by her wrists to a large metal support column in the center of a dingy, cluttered room. The room was filled with dirty,ugly, apparently unwashed bandits. They were leering at her and making various crude gestures. When one got a little too close, she simply smiled at him.

"Hi, there. I'm not really into this whole bondage thing, so do you think you could find it in your heart to let me go?" she said, flashing a brilliant smile at the nearest bandit.

"Heh, we're just gonna have a little fun with ye first."

_That's what you think... I'm tired of this. These shackles are starting to chafe. Time to make my daring escape._

At this point the first of the bandits stepped forward and lunged at her in a clumsy embrace. Lightly dancing aside, she spun to her left around the pole, sending out one bare foot to trip him. He stumbled forward, smacking his face on the column. She heard a wet crunch as his nose was broken. He looked at her and snarled, his face a red mess from the streaming blood of his broken nose.

On Dezolis, Yokote and Sage are racing towards the bandit hideout on their snowmobiles, led by Lorna's mental message.

_"Well, good to know they didn't disable the snowmobiles. Things here don't seem to be all that bad, yet. That annoying mayor showed up and went into the room where they were holding Lissandra. She still seems angry, but rather unhurt. Her powers haven't returned yet, though. As for me...the other bandits seem to think I'm the entertainment. If you don't hurry, I'll have to change their minds myself."_

_"Ok, we are going as fast as we can. What about Brom? Have you seen him?"_

_"Unfortunately, no. He seems to be deactivated. From what I can tell, the bandit leader seems to have some sort of grudge against him."_

_"Hmm...well, if he is damaged he is the easiest of all of us to repair. If you can free him before we get there, please do."_

_"Hahaha. Sage, darling...I'm shackled to a post in a room with about fifty bandits leering at me. I think they are betting on who gets to 'have a go' at me first. But, I'll get right on doing your job for you, hun." _

The sarcasm in her mind voice was so sharp it hurt.

_"Well, it's not my fault you are far more appealing to the bandits than me. I think it's your outfit. If I hadn't been completely incapacitated with what felt like a dagger through my head, I would've stopped them."_

_"Tsk, tsk. And now you are blaming the victim. What kind of Esper are you, anyway?"_

_"At the moment, the pissed-off kind. Yokote doesn't seem too happy about being blind-sided either. Well, we should be there shortly. Any information about the defenses, or do we just go in blind?"_

_"Did I mention the whole 'shackled to a post' thing? I haven't exactly had time for detailed reconnaissance. I wouldn't worry about it, though. These guys don't seem too bright. Relax, Sage... this will be fun."_

_"I just don't want anyone to get hurt."_

_"Don't worry. I can tell you are very upset about them kidnapping Lissandra. Do I not matter...?"_ she said, her voice taking on an amused tone.

_"Um...anyway. I'd suggest you try to break free on your own. Then, if you can...find Liss and Brom. We will arrive in about two minutes. Be careful."_

_"Alright...have fun." _

Lorna broke the mental contact and went back to surveying her current situation. She was shackled by her wrists to a large metal support column in the center of a dingy, cluttered room. The room was filled with dirty,ugly, apparently unwashed bandits. They were leering at her and making various crude gestures. When one got a little too close, she simply smiled at him.

"Hi, there. I'm not really into this whole bondage thing, so do you think you could find it in your heart to let me go?" she said, flashing a brilliant smile at the nearest bandit.

"Heh, we're just gonna have a little fun with ye first."

_That's what you think... I'm tired of this. These shackles are starting to chafe. Time to make my daring escape._

At this point the first of the bandits stepped forward and lunged at her in a clumsy embrace. Lightly dancing aside, she spun to her left around the pole, sending out one bare foot to trip him. He stumbled forward, smacking his face on the column. She heard a wet crunch as his nose was broken. He looked at her and snarled, his face a red mess from the streaming blood of his broken nose.

"Oops, sorry about that. Looks like you tripped. I'd suggest you clean this place up a bit. It's far too dimly-lit, and lined with stuff for people to trip over. Here...let me fix that." She continued her spin around the column, coming back around to tie the bandit to the column with the slack of her restraints. She looked at his nose, then clicked her tongue in disapproval. "Aw...let me kiss it and make it better." She leaned in and kissed him, draining his life energy as she did so, embracing him with her shackled hands and holding him up until he slumped, drained and unconscious.

Turning away from him, she froze her restraints and broke them with a flick of her wrist. She then proceeded to freeze the chains that held the bandit the the pillar, encasing them in thick ice.

"There, now you won't hurt yourself." She said, brushing her hands together. "Anyone else want to play?" she asked mockingly, turning to the twelve or so bandits arrayed in the room. The ragtag group drew their weapons and advanced on her.

With a muttered word, a small cylinder appeared in mid-air. She reached out to grasp it, then as she fed it power, it grew into a staff made of clear blue ice. Sending a final pulse of energy into it, frigid spikes grew from both ends, as a brief manifestation of translucent ice crystal armor appeared over her body. A split second later, it faded, leaving her clad in her silver bikini and white cape. Spinning her staff around a couple of times, she settled into a combat stance.

The bandits advanced on her, confused yet intrigued by the fate of their comrade. One spoke to another. "I'm not sure whether to kiss her or hit her..."

"Heh, let's do both. Get her!" This over eager bandit leaped forward, swinging a club at her. She easily dodged his first swing, then parried the next two with her staff. The other bandits simply watched. The man's fourth swing impacted with her forearm, hitting her magical armor mere inches from her flesh. As he drew the club back, the armor faded into invisibility again. When he next swung, she grabbed the club and froze it, then squeezed it until it shattered. Laughing, she lightly kicked him in the shin and backed away from his counterattack.

"Ha, looks like your weapon broke. It was too big anyway. You must be trying to compensate for something..."

She hastily dodged his headlong rush, stepping aside to let him nearly hit the pillar. Tossing her staff casually off to the side, it hovered in mid-air at a guttural command from her. She crouched, raising her hands, and beckoned for the bandit to come at her. He tackled her, hitting her at the waist. She fell backwards, rolling with him and flipping him over her head, then landed lightly on top of him. Pressing him to the ground amidst cheers from the bandits, she drained his soul with a kiss.

Getting to her feet from the comatose bandit, she called her staff to her side.

"Now boys...who wants to be next?"

In another room of the bandit hideout, Liss is sitting in a chair, her hands tied behind her back. Jacen, the bandit leader Blake and two other bandits are in the room with her.

Blake turned to Jacen and spoke. "Well, I did what you requested. Here's the girl. I'm going to go get my revenge on that damnable robot. Have fun."

"You will be well-rewarded. Have your men wait outside. I wish to be alone with the ." He said, turning his harsh gaze on Lissandra, who simply scowled back. Blake and his two bandits left the room, leaving Jacen and Liss.

"Jacen, you coward! Why did you kidnap me?" She said, fury blazing in her eyes.

"Because, my dear...the last time we met, you scorned me. I poured my heart and soul out to you, and you rejected me. No one treats me with impunity... Now that I am powerful, I will get my revenge."

"Jacen...you are a moron. We were kids. I didn't want to date you then, but I pitied you. I have absolutely no empathy for you now. You are abusing your power, and usurping the mandate given to you. That is detestable..." Liss said, glaring at him.

"Stupid girl. You should have joined me. You could have ruled with me. But, you chose to reject me, throwing me aside like everyone else always did. I will make you pay for that..."

"You are insane. I refused to go to a dance with you. I hate dancing. That's not a reason to kidnap someone. Besides...what 'rule' are you delusional enough to think you have? You are the mayor of a tiny little village, and a walking bank-book to a group of inbred bandits. That's not power, that's...pathetic."

"Silence! I will make you pay for your rejection. I'm going to make you wish you had joined me. Death will be a welcome release that is slow in coming.... Hahahahaha." He began cackling.

_He's a bigger idiot than I thought... oh, well. Luckily, he's not very good at tying knots, either. I've got just enough slack closer, Jace._

Jacen stepped forward to mock her. As he did so, she broke the bonds tying her to the chair. Raising the flimsy wooden chair, she nailed him in the face with it, knocking him to the ground unconscious.

Rubbing her wrists to get the blood flow back, she silently thanked the bandits for using a half-rotted rope. Grabbing her Caduceus from the corner, she opened the door and stepped out. Although her techniques were still disabled, her staff-fighting skills were not. It was the work of about thirty seconds to subdue the two guards.

_I wonder if they captured everyone else. I hope not..._ She began to make her way through the complex, looking for an exit.

Yokote and Sage have made it to the bandit base. They stop on a hill overlooking the entrance to the building, and Yokote scans the area with binoculars.

"Well, Sage...it looks like there are about twenty guards outside the building, clustered around. It looks like they are drinking and gambling around a fire. I suggest we just rush them. We will break what little order they have, and we can go right into the base." Putting away his binoculars, he turned to Sage.

"Sounds good to me. I can cloak our approach until we are right up on them, and increase the confusion and panic they will have. Lutz is cooperating, so I can use his power as well..." Sage said.

_Yes, well...I'm not exactly happy with these scum either. The technology they have found could be dangerous in the wrong hands. We must wipe them out so they cannot abuse the innocent anymore._ Lutz said into Sage's mind.

"Ok, Yokote...I'm going to telekinetically boost your strength. It's like a Shifta technique, but more effective. However, you have to be fairly close to me to get the effect."

"Very well. And how are the others faring?"

Sage closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them. Yokote felt a wave of strength rush through him.

"Lorna's free, and rather enjoying herself fighting the bandits. I don't know about Brom and Lissandra. We need to go."

Mounting their snowmobiles, they charged the camp. Sage reached out with his powers and blocked the sounds and sights of their approach from being processed easily. It was difficult, muddling so many minds at once, but since they were distracted it was doable.

Yokote crashed his snowmobile into a group of bandits, leaping free at the last second as he ignited his sabers. The group of five he hit collapsed on the ground in a twisted, moaning group. He landed lightly on the ground, turning to face the remaining fifteen.

He brandished his sabers and charged them. The few that were able to get their weapons out fell first as he went into an elegant, deadly saber dance. Mere heartbeats later, there were ten bandits lying still on the ground.

The remaining five turned to run, but were bowled over by a TK wave from Sage. As they slowly got to their feet, Yokote rushed them, cutting them down mercilessly.

The one bandit still standing fell to a kick to the temple from Yokote as he rushed past

Sage parked his snowmobile, and dismounted. As he headed towards Yokote, he saw that there was surprisingly no blood on the ground.

"Yokote...did you kill them all?" he asked, a slight tone of worry entering his voice.

"No, Sage. My Sabers were on stun. A hit from them simply incapacitates voluntary nerve impulses for a few hours."

"You have sabers with stun effects here? Wow..."

"I built them myself. Anyway...let's go."

The two headed inside the bandit hideout, stepping over the stunned bodies of their foes.

Lorna is greatly enjoying herself. There are about ten comatose bandits lying on the ground, all drained by her. They had actually been foolish enough to attack her singly or in pairs. The lone bandit turned to run, fearing for his life.

She intercepted him before he made it to the door, collapsing her staff and placing it on her belt. Teleporting it from her belt to hover midair in front of her had been extravagant, yes, but it never hurt to impress. _Hmm...I think I scared him. Oh, well. This won't take long. _Grabbing her latest meal, she placed a finger over his lips to stifle his screams. Looking into his eyes, she answered his terror with a bright smile. _Hmm...this one's a bit cleaner than the rest. I'll take my time with him._

Lorna embraced the man, who drooped slightly as she began to drain his energy. She kissed him deeply, his eyes going from panic to pleasure in the space of a few seconds. She held him, draining him of both his soul and his life energy, then lowered him gently to the ground. He began to softly snore as she stepped over him.

_Hmph. That was over far too quickly... I wish I could find one who could actually sustain a link for more than a few seconds..._

Upstairs, Blake and the other bandits have the deactivated Brom in a corner, and are beating on him.

Not much damage has been done to his shell, but the bandits don't seem to care.

Blake finally stops after attempting to cut off Brom's arm with a power saw. "Gah...damnable robot. I wish I could hear him scream. Hey, turn on his vocal systems..."

That was the last mistake Blake ever made. The idiotic bandit flipped Brom's main power switch, reviving him. He sprang to life and crushed the unfortunate bandit's windpipe with his hands, letting him drop to the ground with a sickening thud. He then drew a pair of daggers from compartments in his forearms, and began to cut a swathe through the assembled group of bandits. Blake had time for one scream before he died...

_I thought I couldn't hate those rotting meatbags anymore than I already did. Hmph. I wonder if they saved me the trouble of killing the others. Probably not. Might as well go find them._

Lorna dashed from her room, colliding with a white-robed figure in the hall. They fell in a tangle, both quickly getting to their feet in battle stances.

As they recognized each other, Lorna and Lissandra relaxed.

"Liss, you're ok!"

"Yeah, but my powers are still inactive. Are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine. Yokote and Sage are on their way, and..."

_"Lorna, we made it inside. Have you found Liss and Brom yet?"_

_"Yes, I just ran into Lissandra. Literally... still no sign of Brom, though."_

"Correction. Yokote and Sage are here. Let's go find Brom, and meet up with them." The two continued to the main hall, where Yokote and Sage were facing off with the main group of bandits. They watched for a moment as Yokote and Sage took on all challengers. Yokote cleaved any bandits in reach with his twin sabers, as Sage blasted away with his guns. With Lorna and Lissandra joining the fray, the bandits soon realized their mistake. The few still standing went to flee, but were incapacitated by a combined mental assault from Sage and Lorna.

"About time. We were getting bored..." Lorna said, greeting Sage and Yokote.

"I'm glad to see you are ok. Any sign of Brom?" Sage asked, as Yokote deactivated his sabers.

His question was answered by screams from deeper within the building, as a group of blood-stained and generally mauled bandits fled from something.

Lorna and Lissandra belted the two bandits that fled past them, knocking them to the ground. The third suddenly dropped, a look of agony on his face as he toppled forward in mid-stride. The hilt of a Red Dagger extended from his back as Brom casually strode up to greet them.

"Hmph, what took you so long?" He said as he retrieved his dagger from the corpse at his feet.

"We were busy. Are you alright?" Sage asked, looking him over.

"Other than some minor structural damage, I'm fine..."

His sentence was interrupted by a loud clanking sound. Whirling towards the darkened interior of the base, they saw a large bipedal metal weapon walking towards them. Jacen could be seen in the cockpit. It turned it's machine guns toward them and fired, causing them to scatter. Over the speaker, Jacen's voice could be heard.

"Mwahahahaha. With this LifeDeleter I modified, I am invincible. Now die, pathetic insects!" He opened fire with all the weapons of the robot as they dove for cover.

Liss and Sage crouched behind a pillar. "So, any plans?" Liss asked him.

"Not at the moment, no. The armor on that thing looks pretty thick."

As Liss threw back her hood for a better look, Sage saw that her formerly blond hair was actually a light chestnut brown.

"Um...this isn't exactly a good time to ask...but when did your hair change color?" Sage asked, a puzzled look on his face.

" I normally change it with my powers. However...they are still blocked. So...I have my natural hair color back. Worry about that later. We have a heartbroken little child at the controls of a deadly weapon to take care of..." Liss said, scowling in the general direction of Jacen's weapon.

In one of the training rooms of the Resistance Headquarters, Labyrinth and Hahn are working to add in a new simulation to the computer's database. Just as Labyrinth finishes feeding in the data he had collected, Ayame reenters the room, skipping happily.

"Hello, Dr. Hahn. Hello, Mr. Labyrinth." Ayame says, smiling at them.

"Hello, Ayame. We just finished. If you would go into the simulator, we will show you the surprise. However...I want to warn you before hand. This may make you uncomfortable. We wish to test your limits. Doing so will require subjecting you to a large amount of stress. If you do not wish to go through with this, tell us now. We cannot stop the simulation in the middle of it's run." Hahn said, gazing at Ayame.

"Ok...I still want to try it. I want to see if it will help me learn how to control my power." Ayame replied, a look of resolve crossing her face.

"Very well. Be careful, Ayame." Hahn said, opening the door for her to enter the simulator. As she stepped inside, Leah, JiEin and Nefirst entered the control room.

"So, Dr. Hahn...is this safe?" Leah asked, as JiEin and Neifirst settled into comfortable positions to watch.

"Yes, perfectly safe. But Ayame cannot know that. If she knows, then she won't release her full power. We must make her think she is in mortal danger. The simulation we have prepared should be sufficient to do that..." Hahn replied.

"Ready, doctor?" Labyrinth asked.

"Yes. Are the shields enabled?" Hahn asked him.

"Yes. If things do go wrong, the room will be flooded with an immobilizing gas that should render her unconscious."

"How do you set up all this stuff?" Neifirst asked Labyrinth.

"I have been working on this base for a while, now." Labyrinth replied. With a nod from Hahn, Lab activated the program.

Inside the VR field, Ayame was surrounded by blackness for a second. Pinpoints of light appeared, coalescing into the Pioneer 2 skyline. A beam of white light appeared in front of her, and a figure emerged.

A startled gasp could be heard from both Leah and Ayame. Inside the VR field was a perfect replica of X, dressed and armed in the same manner as when he was controlled by Zionus.

"Eep!" Ayame yelped, barely managing to avoid X's first swing of his Tsumikiri J-Sword. "Uncle X...why are you here?"

The simulation of X did not respond, but continued advancing towards her. With each attack he mounted, she was slower and slower to avoid. She began to fight back half heartedly at first, singing him with a Foie. He slid backwards, easily blocking the powerful fireball with his sword.

As Labyrinth increased the percentage of X's actual ability the simulation used, Ayame began to fight harder. At about 80 of X's observed potential, Ayame made a strategic error. Hitting him with a Zonde, she knocked him to the ground. Approaching him to Rabarta him, she was caught by surprise when he leaped up and stabbed her, the virtual blade penetrating her chest. Ayame let out a soundless scream and crumpled to the floor.

Leah whirled towards Hahn with fury in her eyes. "If you've hurt her, I'll..." Hahn stopped her with an outstretched hand.

"Leah, she is like my daughter. I wish no harm to come to her. If Danielle doesn't appear, she will simply sleep off the effects. If she does, we get a chance to study her. Please watch..."

As they watched, Ayame began to glow with a faint red light. The transformation was faster this time, and within moments the fierce red aura faded to reveal the figure of Danielle. Stretching, she let out a laugh as her wings sprouted.

**"Ah, finally...I was getting bored in there. I'm never letting the brat control us again."** She blasted the simulated X to atoms with a wave of her hand, then turned to the assembled audience.

**"Hello in there. I guess you are thinking that this energy shield will protect you. I hate to disappoint you, but it won't. I could break it with but a thought. However...you caught me in a good mood. Let me fight that Nei woman and I may not kill you all." **

Neifirst rushed to the door, and went into the field before anyone could stop her. Danielle lowered to the ground and stretched a few times before settling into a lazy combat stance. Neifirst rushed at her as Danielle watched calmly.

On Ragol, X and the Dreamchasers enter the mines. Bits of broken machinery are scattered here and there, but a trail of destruction can be seen. It is obvious that someone had passed through recently...


	8. Unexpected Savior

Sage and Lissandra were crouched behind a pillar, avoiding the heavy-caliber machine gun fire that Jacen's death machine was pouring at them. The bipedal mecha had two massive arms, each with a plasma blaster located in the "palm" and three sharp metal "fingers." It had four gatling cannons in it's chest, a large cannon on each shoulder and what looked like a ray projector in it's "head."

Thick armor plating surrounded the cockpit area, and a series of jets and hover projectors on the legs and feet allowed it to move around at a frightening pace for something so large. The armor over the cockpit also protected the occupant from psychic probes and attacks, as Sage soon found out. When he popped out from cover to send a shot from his Red Handgun at the machine, the minimal effect it had showed that the armor was quite resilient to conventional attack as well.

"Well...that didn't work." Lissandra stated, as the machine began to move towards them rapidly.

"Yeah, I noticed..." Sage replied, as the two of them moved to another pillar for cover.

On the other side of the room, they could see Lorna sending shards of ice at the mech's legs. It had no effect, and the barrier of ice she hastily formed to block it's counterattack barely gave her time to get behind cover. Yokote cast a quick Foie tech, doing minimal damage before hiding behind the other pillar with Lorna.

Looking behind the mech from his vantage point, Sage saw that Brom had flanked the mecha and was leaping at it with his daggers outstretched. He seemed to be attacking the bot from behind, where it's defenses looked minimal.

When the upper body of Jacen's machine swiveled around and caught Brom midleap with one of it's claws, everyone was surprised.

_Wow...that thing is far too maneuverable. This is going to be difficult. _Lissandra thought. The four of them peeked out of cover and began assaulting the machine with everything they had, but it swiftly turned to attack them, suppressing them with bursts of gunfire as it held Brom captive in it's steely grip.

Brom flailed uselessly, unable to reach a vital part of the mech's arms. Jacen tightened his grip, taunting him.

"So, you wish to fight me? Hah! Bow to my awesome power, and die at my feet!" Increasing the pressure on Brom's torso, the screech of bending metal could be heard as Brom's outer casing gave way. As the pressure increased, loud snaps could be heard as his internal support structures caved in and shattered. Jacen increased the pressure until Brom's body seemed to shrink, like a can being crushed in a trash compactor.

"Damn you! Stupid...fleshbag..." Brom railed in frustration, but his voice soon cut off as the damage to his body grew. Squeezing the motionless figure of Brom, Jacen turned to the wall. Slamming his right fist into it with a powerful blow, he released his grip on the nearly-destroyed Brom. Brom sank into the crater, sparks flew from his body, and he stopped moving. The lights in his optical sensors dimmed, and his body went into emergency-repair mode. Raising the left arm of his mech, Jacen trained his palm-mounted blasters on Brom and fired, temporarily ignoring the flurry of attacks that commenced on his back.

"Brom!" Sage shouted, as the four remaining members of the group unleashed a furious assault on the mech. After a five-second blast of plasma, Jacen's wrath was spent. When the smoke cleared, all that could be seen of Brom was a twisted hunk of blackened, battered metal.

Jacen turned back to the group, who were all too far away from any decent cover to make it back before he struck.

"Now, you die!" He began blasting with all his might at the four, who quickly scattered.

Jacen trained his two shoulder cannons on the group and fired. As they dived for cover, Sage's telekinetic barrier sprang up, shielding them from the massive explosion. Jacen opened up with the gatlings in his mech's chest, but Sage was able to block those shots too. Since the barrier extended from him outward, the four moved as a group towards one of the pillars. As Yokote, Lorna and Lissandra made it behind the last remaining pillar in the hallway, Jacen powered up the beam projector on the mech's head and fired.

The pink anti-magi beam struck Sage squarely in the chest, and seconds later a volley of gatling rounds followed, as the beam deactivated his telekinetic barrier.

Sage felt several sharp pains in his shoulder and chest, the force of the bullets pushing him back and spinning him halfway around. As the world around him faded to black he felt Yokote drag him behind cover by his good arm. With a soft "Oh" the encroaching curtain of darkness filled his vision, and he knew no more.

Jacen's gloating laughter filled the room as Lorna tried frantically to stop the flow of blood. Lissandra looked at Sage as tears began to stream down her face. Yokote simply stood, stoically gazing at Jacen with a murderous rage in his eyes.

"We have to stop it from moving around so much. If I can distract it, could you take out it's leg jets?" Lissandra said, wiping her eyes and turning to Yokote.

"I...believe so. But what do you plan to do about a distraction? And...what about Sage?"

Lorna looked up at them, her hands glowing with healing energy. Blood was slowly leaking from several gaping wounds in the right side of Sage's chest, and his right arm was fairly well torn up.

"I basically froze his body. I've slowed down his metabolism, and if I have enough time I can heal him. But it's rather hard to concentrate with that thing stomping around. I can put Sage in suspended animation and help you..." Lorna said.

"No. We'll handle this. Just please keep him in one piece." Lissandra replied. As Yokote watched her, he saw her face harden.

"My powers just came back. I'm not quite as powerful as Sage with his telekinesis, but I can use it. I'll use that as a distraction. Also...Jacen hates me the most. I can get him to focus solely on me. When I give you the signal, Yokote...try to take out at least one of his legs." As Lissandra stood, she faintly heard Lutz's voice in her mind.

_"Lissandra... good luck. I'm going into dormancy so I don't drain any of Sage's energy. "_

"Ok, Yokote...you ready?"

Lissandra produced a Diska of Braveman from a capsule within her robe and stepped out from behind the pillar.

"Jacen...this ends now! I'm going to make you pay for all the horrible things you have done." Lissandra said. Surprisingly, the mech's guns grew silent.

"Lissandra...you ruined my life! You have no right to preach to me." As Lissandra kept him occupied, Yokote dashed from the other side of the pillar, keeping his sabers held low.

Lissandra railed at him as she began using her powers to gather debris behind him. "You are killing people over a rejection for a date? You are insane..."

Jacen glared at her, then raised his arms to begin firing. It was at that moment that Yokote struck. He leaped at the robot's legs, slicing the knee joints with his sabers. Sparks and flame leaped from the destroyed engines. Unfortunately for Yokote, that was not enough to incapacitate the machine.

Jacen whirled about and began assaulting Yokote furiously. The Esper Guardian dodged shots, trying desperately to get back within sword range.

As Jacen prepared a blast from his shoulder cannon, a photon blade from the forgotten Lissandra lodged itself in the cannon, causing it to explode. With this distraction, Yokote was able to rush the mecha, dodging gatling fire with a speed that rivaled X's.

"Hmph. Fool. I will destroy you!" Jacen said, blasting at Yokote.

"I doubt that. Your weakness comes from within, not from without. A heart and mind that only exists to dominate others is a weak one. True strength lies in what you are able to accomplish for others, not what you can take from them. I refrained from killing you because I though you could be redeemed. I was wrong..." Yokote said, managing to slash off one of the claws as he dodged a punch from the mech. The gatling barrels spun futilely, emptied of their ammunition by Jacen's constant firing. One cannon was a smoking ruin, and the other was far too unwieldy to hit the rapidly moving Esper.

Inside the mech, Jacen began to worry. _I can't hit him, and that is sending blades and rocks at me whenever she gets the chance. Why won't they just die!_

Jacen aimed a punch at Yokote, but his aim was thrown off by the photonic blade of Liss's weapon impacting his arm's elbow joint. It did little damage, but the force of the strike threw off his aim. As he regained his balance, Lissandra began to telekinetically pummel him with debris. Distracted as he was, he was unable to avoid the leaping slash that took his mecha's remaining shoulder cannon and working arm off cleanly. Yokote's custom sabers were obviously more than sufficient to cleave the mech's armor. Jacen staggered back in the mech, barely able to keep control over it. A few more strikes from Yokote and several large rocks later, and Jacen completely lost control of his stolen weapon.

The mech toppled forward to one knee, and the cockpit opened. Jacen climbed out, disoriented by the severe beating he had taken. As he dropped to the ground, he was charged by Yokote and Lissandra. Lissandra's Caduceus uppercut caught him underneath the chin, knocking him to the ground. He rolled onto his stomach, and came out holding a small control device. Getting slowly to his feet, he managed to press one button on the control before Yokote kicked it out of his hand.

"What was that?" Lissandra asked, stepping forward menacingly.

Jacen simply threw his head back and began to laugh. "Hahahahaha! You may have beaten me, but your tomb will be here as well. This place is a storehouse for weapons of old, and is filled with explosives. The self-destruct has already been activated. Face eternity with me, Liss-urk!"

The "urk" was from Yokote rushing towards him and stabbing him through the chest with one of his two photon sabers. As Jacen pitched backwards, Yokote raised his other blade and cleanly decapitated him, shearing his head off with a single stroke.

"Anyone who seeks power simply to abuse it is not worthy of either power or continued life." Yokote said, turning to Lissandra. The two began to walk back towards Sage and Lorna, sheathing their weapons. Lissandra had picked up the control pad, and seemed unable to stop it. A counter on it read 45 seconds, which she relayed with a gasp.

"Yokote...we have to get out of here! Now. Let's grab them and go..." They passed under the archway with the stairs, heading towards Lorna and Sage.

Unfortunately, Jacen was as incompetent with explosive timers as he was with combat. An enormous explosion ripped through the building, leveling most of it.

When the smoke cleared, the two groups were pinned beneath load-bearing structures, separated by about thirty feet of piled rock and stone. Liss and Yokote were underneath the surprisingly durable staircase arch, and Lorna and Sage were sheltered between the pillar they had been beside and another half-destroyed one that had fallen to rest on it. The clear Dezolian night sky was visible through cracks in the shattered masonry.

Inside the VR Field, Nei rushes at Danielle, who easily dodges her kick by sidestepping and responding with a backhand to the face that knocks Neifirst flying.

**"Hah! You can't beat me. Just give up now..."**

Neifirst slams into the wall of the VR field, then slides down to slump against it.

In the mines, Sigma's ring of soldiers stands with their weapons at the ready, locked in a standoff with the Dreamchasers and Cranberry's group of Baranz Hunters. Sigma simply floats smugly, his arms crossed as he faintly glows with power.

Fifteen of the troops wield Kaladbolgs, ten have Dragon Slayer swords, and five are armed with small Blade Dance daggers. All are dressed in white uniforms, and have the same blank look in their eyes. With a wave of Sigma's hand, they get into battle stances.

**"Fools...consider this a test. If you can defeat these soldiers, you are worthy to be killed by me."**

"Worthy to be killed by you? Please...could you sound any more like a wannabe villain from a video game? Jeez...and you say you are my clone. Pathetic." X quips, drawing his Calibur.

Sigma snarls with rage, then points one hand at the group. **"Kill them all!" **At his signal, the first trooper rushes at Kiara, who ducks under his sword swing and quickly takes him out with her Kamuis. Cranberry jumps, startled. She quickly recovers to cast Shifta and Deband on the group as Axios weakens their enemies with Jellen and Zalure. The soldiers attack en masse, their sub-par abilities partly compensated by their numbers.

Nova dodges a strike from one soldier's Kaladbolg, backing up to fire at him with his Yas mechs. After four shots, the weapons let out a soft click instead of their usual loud bark. He curses, and is saved from being gutted by Black Raiden, who intercepts the over-brave soldier in the middle of his lunge, striking him down with her Double Cannon. Nodding slightly at him, Raiden moves to intercept the next minion, blocking his Kaladbolg hit with one blade of her crystalline double sword. She fells him with a quick kick to the temple, then quickly selects her next target.

Striker fires a blast from his Guilty Light at an onrushing dagger trooper, knocking him to the ground as the massive photon shot sears through his armor. Whirling, he turns to see the tiny figure of Cranberry beset by two soldiers as she is slowly backed into a corner. She blocks the first hit from the Blade Dance with her Windmill, delivering a quick Foie to the unfortunate soldier's chest. Ducking under the clumsy swing of the next, she retaliates with a vicious three hit combo that knocks the man to the floor, unconscious. The red, ornate blade of his Kaladbolg falls from his limp hand.

Axios is facing off against three dagger troopers, and with an awesome display of skill dispatches the three of them with an intricate pattern of deadly hits from his double saber Rokujou.

Axios dispatches the last of his attackers, then narrowly dodges a wild swing from one of troopers carrying a Dragon Slayer. The massive purple blade cleaves the air by his head, and he dodges to the side to avoid the follow-up swing. As he side-steps, two Kaladboldg soldiers rush him. He brings Rokujou up to block the strike from the first, but the second manages to get past his blade. He leers in triumph as the soldier with the Dragon Slayer heads toward Axios.

Suddenly, the white-uniformed soldier stiffens, the blade of X's Calibur cutting into his back. He falls, soundlessly as X sends a Foie at the over-eager soldier with the Dragon Slayer. Axios overwhelms the soldier that was pressing his blade against Rokujou's. He buffets him in the chest with the handle of his Twin, sending a Gizonde charge through the metal that stuns the man, dropping him to the hard metallic floor of the mines. The Dragon Slayer soldier who first attacked is taken out by a skillful double attack between X and Axios. Looking up from the fallen minion, Axios gives X a slight nod.

"You seem to be doing a bit better."

"I feel like I'm starting to regain my strength. That, or these guys are just really pathetic..." X says, grinning.

"Probably a bit of both." Axios replies, firing off a Rafoie at a group of three soldiers who were watching the main battle. The fiery wave hit against a shield, doing minimal damage. The soldiers jumped, startled by the sudden attack. Their relflexes seemed slow, but when Sigma moved his hand slightly, they snapped to attention and charged at X and Axios.

A few feet away, Nova is dodging attacks left and right, hurling energy shurikens from his Flight Cutter at the soldiers around him. One blade lodges in the chest of an onrushing soldier, making him plummet to the ground. Two more are cut down by his weapon, one dropping his saber near Nova. As Nova steps forward to retrieve the man's saber, Sigma blasts the weapon into slag. Nova jumps back, but thinks better of sending a blade at Sigma when he is jumped by four soldiers. One tackles him from behind, knocking him to his knees. As he falls forward, another raises his Dragon Slayer for a powerful downward strike. His face keeps it's eerily blank look as the blade begins to descend.

"Well, that didn't work." Nova said, rolling to the side to avoid the clumsy attack. He kicks out, sending his attacker sprawling. The three other soldiers raise their weapons, but a dark purple blur interjects itself between Nova and his assailants, cutting them down in a frenzy of Double Cannon slashes. Black Raiden turns and helps Nova up, supporting him while he Restas his twisted knee. The blade that was aimed for her head is melted by a Foie from Cranberry, who is standing behind Striker, launching techniques. The Fonewearl flashes Raiden a smile before going back to the task at hand.

Kiara is surrounded by a ring of soldiers, all of whom think to attack at once. She dodges a few strikes, but the sheer volume of the soldiers brings her down. She is set upon by ten opponents at once, each swinging their weapons wildly. She leaps upward, out of the crush, but is caught in mid-air by a Dragon Slayer hit. As she falls to the ground, her body exhausted by the escape from Zionus' troops toe the mines, she feels a strange peace come over her. _Well...even if I don't make it out of this...at least it was fun._

The ring of soldiers closes in on the fallen Kiara, who manages to dodge the first few strikes with her Kamuis. One soldier slips in behind her, but as he raises his Kaladbold for a striker to the back of her head, he is hit in the face by a blade flung by Nova. He staggers, and his torso is pierced by a Guilty Light blast from Striker. Kiara casts a hasty Rabarta and gets to her feet, as the others move to support her.

With a wave of his hand, Sigma halts his troops.

**"Hmmph...pathetic. I shall give you a true test. First of all...your techniques make this far too easy."**

Sigma begins chanting, as a ring of energy appears around the perimeter of the room. As it closes in, Cranberry raises her Windmill. The Deband spell was renewed, but as the ring of energy closes in, her Shifta technique fizzles out. The floor is now solid white, glowing faintly with arcane symbols. The Resta that Cranberry attempted to cast on Kiara did nothing, not even draining her mental energy to cast it.

**"Nul. Now...to revive my loyal servants, and continue the test..."**

The soldiers who had fallen rise to their feet, glowing with a faint grey aura. Sigma snaps his fingers, and the soldiers begin to stalk towards the group, now standing in loose formation. The soldiers pick up speed, charging with no battle cry. Within heartbeats the battle is joined, the desperate Dreamchasers fighting for their lives against the renewed vigor of Zionus' troops. Sigma watches, laughing to himself.

Inside the VR field, Danielle's head suddenly snaps up. To her, it feels like an alarm just went off between her ears. She drops the limp body of Neifirst, whom she had grabbed by the throat, holding her and gloating over her victory.

**_Ugh...what the hell? What's wrong with me? _**The world around her fades to black, and inside her mind she sees the figure of Ayame walking towards her.

_"Danielle...I know you felt that. It's Zionus, channeling power through X's clone. We are the only ones that can stop him..." Ayame says, a pensive look on her face._

"What's this we stuff? I'm in control right now..." 

"Yes, but my younger self sensed that too. Her concern for X will soon override your control."

"Tch, that little brat...?"

"Yes. If you subvert yourself willingly, you may be able to regain control more easily. Otherwise...she will force you back."

Danielle glared at her alter-ego. "Why are you so reasonable, and the brat so annoying? I don't like you, but I hate the 'young you' even more."

"I am unable to gain control at this time. I am the balance between you two. As long as strife exists between the two of you, there is not much I can do."

"Dammit! Ah...I can feel her strengthening now. The brat's freaking out right now. You were right. I hate that..." Danielle warps back to her abode in the landscape of Ayame's mind, temporarily giving in to Ayame's request.

The older version of Ayame stares into space for a second, then disappears as well, retreating behind the hard-won barriers she had painstaklngly built. She watches as the younger version of herself regains control, and with the return to consciousness is rendered relatively powerless once more. 

Ayame opens her eyes. She is laying in the medical center, of which she has become very familiar as of late. Neifirst is on the bed beside her, looking rather worse for wear.

In the mines, the furious battle rages on, as Sigma's minions attack relentlessly, forcing the hunters into a smaller and smaller area, ringed by their blades.

Nova is fighting for his life. He and his companions are surrounded, dodging the gleaming blades of nearly thirty divinely-powered troops of Zionus. A soldier lunges at him, stabbing viciously with a Kaladbolg. Nova sidesteps, kicks the man in the stomach and follows it up with a Flight Cutter blade to the back of his neck, dropping the trooper. He picks up the Kaladbolg, then hurls it into the chest of an approaching trooper. 

He turns, nearly running into the massive purple blade of a Dragon Slayer. He is saved by Striker, who backhands the man with his Guilty Light, a vicious blow that knocked the hapless soldier back ten feet, the sound of crunching bone echoing through the mines. Nova nods and goes back to watching for the next attack.

Kiara dodges a furious series of attacks from some Blade Dance Daggers, blocking the converging blades with one Kamui as she uses the other to open the man's throat. She is set upon by three soldiers at once, but is saved by the arrival of Axios, who cuts down one of the men with a strike from his double-bladed photon saber. He blasts the other in the face at point blank range with a massive jolt of Gizonde, as Kiara dispatches the third with several precision strikes. Her and Axios end up back to back as the soldiers move ever closer. With their ranks beginning to thin, the remaining troops grow more bold.

Cranberry bludgeons a soldier with her Windmil as his wepon heads for X's unprotected back. X dispatches one Kaladbolg trooper that made a wild swing, veering away from the point of the red blade to flatten him with his Calibur. Cranberry attacks again, but is knocked down by the headlong rush of two soldiers. X covers her as she falls, stars filling her field of vision as she struggles to regain her footing. She lets out a small whimper as five soldiers rush them. X makes a valiant attempt, but the weakness Zionus forced on him leads to him being overwhelmed by the 5:1 odds within seconds. He is knocked to the ground as a Dragon Slayer trooper appears. The soldier raises his blade, his face an expressionless mask.

His mouth opens soundlessly a second later as his neck sprouts a crystalline purple blade. Raiden withdraws her weapon from the dying man, whirling to meet the four remaining attackers in a deadly tapestry of attacks. Seconds later, four dead bodies litter the ground as Raiden returns to her guard position. Sparks fly from a gaping wound in her shoulder, but she stoically endures the damage the dying man's lucky strike inflicted.

With a few last attacks, the battered and bruised Dreamchasers stand triumphant.

Sigma lets out a soft laugh, white light beginning to glow in an aura around him as a single pristine wing extends from his back.

**"Perhaps you are worthy to die by my hands. The void awaits. Prepare to be judged!"**

Ayame rises from her bed, a little unsteady but otherwise fine. She is caught by Leah as she nearly topples forward.

"Honey...don't try to move. From the readings we obtained, Danielle drains most of your energy when she appears. You need to rest." Leah begins to gently steer her back to the bed, but is shocked when Ayame throws off her arm.

"Auntie Leah! Uncle X is in big, big trouble...I have to go help him."

"Ayame, how do you know all this?" Leah looks on, surprised. Despite Ayame's matured physical appearance, she seems to have regressed in emotional maturity. _Poor girl. It's probably because of all the stress she's been under._

"I just know. I can feel it all swirly and tense in my head. Zionus is going to hurt him. I have to go!" Ayame began to struggle, but was soon stopped by the appearance of Labyrinth.

"The Dreamchasers just activated their coded distress signal. It seems you were right, Ayame. We are unable to teleport them away, as a shield is interfering. The distress signal itself is very distorted. It's strange..."

"How did you know they were in trouble?" Ayame asked, a look of panic growing on her face.

"You were raving about it when we brought you here. Apparently, the alerts that were supposed to go off didn't activate when the distress signal was sent. Nova had the transmitter for it, and activated it about fifteen minutes ago. We are assembling a team to go to their aid now."

"I want to go too!" Ayame said, rising suddenly from her seat on the bed. She cast a quick Resta on herself, letting the super-powered technique restore her body's reserves.

"Ayame, if you could heal yourself...why didn't you do it before?" Leah asked, a puzzled look on her face.

"The bed was comfy..."

Ayame dressed quickly, after healing Neifirst with her level 50 Resta. Nei's body was fine, but her pride was rather wounded. She sat on the bed, staring a hole into the wall. Labyrinth called Leah, Keiko, Neifirst, JiEin and Ayame into his office moments later.

"We've found them. They are in the mines. There is a distortion field set up that prevents close scanning, but we have found the signal. There is an energy signature there that matches Zionus..."

"Zionus is there? That can't be good..." Keiko said, leaning against the wall.

"No, Zionus is still in his citadel. This is similar in power and type to him. Weaker, but not by enough to make much of a difference. We have no one that can handle this. It's nearly as strong as the first Danielle manifestation. And we don't have an army to throw at it. I'm open to suggestions." Labyrinth said, sitting back into his chair.

"Can we teleport them out?" JiEin asked.

"No. We cannot teleport in, either. The shield interferes. The closest we can get is the forest, but that area is swarming with Zionus' troops."

"We have to try. We can't just leave them there to..." Leah said, her voice nearly cracking on the last word.

"I want to help, too." Ayame piped up, beginning to bounce up and down in anticipation.

Labyrinth stood. "Very well...I suppose you are all volunteering to accompany me?"

Nodded assents from all showed that they agreed.

"We will be leaving in five minutes. Prepare yourselves." Labyrinth left the room, soon followed by the other members of his squad as each headed to retrieve their gear.

A heavy, oppressive silence hung in the air as they began to ready themselves for battle.

In the mines, Sigma flaunts his power by bending his knees and crossing his arms over his chest, dropping into the classic "power-up" stance. The aura around him glows more brightly, and small pieces of debris around him begin to levitate off the ground.

His lengthy power-up sequence was interrupted by a blast to the face from Striker's Guilty Light. The blue wave splashed against an invisible barrier inches from his face. He retaliated with a blinding ray of white light that struck the android squarely in the chest, sliding him back with the force of it's impact as it burned through his armor plating. He fell to the ground as Sigma stopped the flow of deadly energy. Sparks jumped from the hole in his torso, as his systems shut down for self-repair.

Raiden let out an electronic scream of rage and charged Sigma. He stood, staring at the onrushing Hucaseal. Lazily dodging her attacks, he caught her blade in mid-air and lifted her bodily, flinging her away. He laughed cruelly as she hit the nearby wall with tremendous force, sliding downward to lie still on the ground. The purple glow of her eyes faded as she shut down, a jagged shard of metal impaling her through the crack in her shoulder's plating.

Sigma dropped into a crouch, forming a ball of light in his left hand into a pillar of light. He brought his right hand to the pillar of light at his side, performing an elaborate motion of drawing a katana. He withdrew a gleaming blade of pure energy from the 'sheath', brandishing it about with a martial arts flourish that proved he was made from X's genes.

"Ok, that's it! Every moron thinks they can use a katana..." X said, glaring at Sigma."

He was answered by a slight movement from Sigma's left hand, beckoning him to attack. The blade from Nova's Flight Cutter was sliced in half in mid-air, as Axios and Kiara rushed him. X hesitated for a split second, thinking. 

Elsewhere, Hell froze over as an armada of pigs took flight.

_I don't think we can beat him like this...I need to use my conduit. That's the only thing that will have enough punch to take him out._

X suddenly heard a voice in the communicator in his ear. Nova spoke, loud and clear. "We'll keep him busy for as long as we can. Please hurry with the conduit thing. I can't promise you more than a minute."

Kiara and Axios reached Sigma at the same time, attacking in a coordinated assault. Their attacks hit an invisible barrier, doing no damage. His blade cleaved the air repeatedly as they managed to avoid being gutted. X was straining, frantically trying to summon the strength to use his conduit as he watched the Dreamchasers get cut down one by one. Cranberry, after seeing there was little she could do for the droids with her techniques blocked, withdrew a Diska of Liberator from a capsule and joined the fray.

Sigma was toying with them, effortlessly dodging their strikes, reveling in his power...

In the forest, Labyrinth's group cuts down the few guards in their way as they rush towards the stranded Dreamchasers.

Sigma dodges a concerted attack from Kiara and Axios, weaving his way around their blades with nonchalant grace. As Axios leaps at him, Sigma sends his beam katana through his shoulder, eliciting a scream of pain. He dispels the blade, then gloats over the pain-wracked Fomar. A quick Trimate from Kiara is enough to keep him from bleeding to death, but the damage was so intense that Axios was unable to move his arm. As Sigma walks towards Axios and Kiara, he is hit in the face by several energy disks from Nova and Cranberry's weapons. Sighing in disgust, he warps over to them

**"That is highly annoying, little pests. It ends now." **He punches at Cranberry, but the tiny Fonewearl dodges and hits him with a fully charged Diska strike to the face, charging it with her life energy. The attack does minimal damage, most of it's destructive force being dissipated by his shield. She grows woozy, and is nearly unconscious by the time he backhands her to the ground. As he turns on Nova, Kiara launches her Split-Image-Slice attack, splitting into four copies of herself to rush him.

Three energy beams and a Angelic Scream have the shadows dispelled and Kiara nearly in a coma.

He turns to Nova, laughing. The Ramar is breathing heavily, clutching a Flight Cutter in his right hand, a look of defiance in his eyes. His dark hair is being blown about slightly as Sigma's aura moves the air around him.

**"If you beg for mercy, your death will be quick..."** Sigma says, a look of utter contempt on his face.

"Go to hell."

**"I'll be sure to send you there. Eventually..."**

Sigma begins his assault as X can feel his conduit reopening. If anyone was watching, small flickers of black lightning can be seen to jump off of him, slowly building in intensity as he strains his body to it's limit.

Sigma warps over to Nova, delivering a punch to his solar plexus that doubles him over. He follows this up with a kick to the face that leaves Nova sprawling on the ground. Sigma was still holding back, but it didn't make much difference to Nova. He felt something rupture inside him as every breath stabbed into his lungs. The world slowly turned grey, but with an enormous surge of willpower he managed to drag himself to his feet. He was knocked down by a nonchalant backhand from Sigma, who was laughing again.

**"Why do you still persist? If you merely ask, your death will be painless."**

"No. I'm not going to die today. You are..."

Sigma knelt, lifting the nearly dead Ramar by the front of his uniform. He held his left hand about a foot away from Nova's body, then enveloped him in a low-power energy blast. After about five seconds of this agony, Nova could take no more and screamed once, a bloodcurdling sound. Heartbeats later he slipped into the waiting abyss in his mind, his body forcing him into the oblivion of unconsciousness. As he hit the ground, he regained some semblance of awareness. Reaching to the small of his back with his non-broken arm, he withdrew the Spirit Raygun he kept there and began feeding it with his technique energy.

Sigma dashed towards X, who had still not gained enough power to transform. He broke the blade of X's Calibur with his bare hands, then charged up a massive white halo of energy. He fired the Angelic Scream at point blank range, right as an enormous yellow bolt from Nova's gun slammed into his temple. The unexpected attack knocked him to the side, causing his attack to simply graze X instead of ripping through him.

Nova gave a weak smile, the gun dropping from his limp hand as his willpower gave out. He fell into darkness, gladly welcoming its embrace. He was still breathing, but not very deeply.

Nova's distraction gave X enough time to gather the last bit of power he needed. With a rush of released energy, his conduit sprang into life, a sable wing shooting from his back as the power of the Profound Darkness surged through him. Black lightning crackled around him as he got to his feet, his shirt hanging in tatters and shreds from Sigma's atttack.

X lets out a yell of triumph, a wave of dark energy radiating from his body as Sigma's tech-nul field is dissipated. He rises off the ground, glowing with power.

**"Sigma...time to die. You copied the wrong person. There is only one X!"**

The scions of Darkness and Light moved as one, each drawing a blade of energy. They were mirror images seen through a filter that distorts and inverts light, the only apparent difference between them being that where Sigma glowed white, X glowed black. The light and shadow rushed at each other, blades meeting in a furious assault as each released his rage.

Everytime their swords met, shockwaves radiated through the room. The two dueled, a more even match seemingly incomprehensible. It was if they could read each other's soul. The battle grew in intensity, each combatant pouring more power into his strikes.

_I can feel myself getting weaker...if I don't end this now, I won't be able to. I can use the conduit, I just can't sustain it for very long. If it wasn't for this mag, I would've already lost the transformation. He seems to have a nearly limitless supply of energy..._

X finally got a hit in, kicking Sigma in the face as their aerial battle escalated. They flew to opposite ends of the room, each gathering power for a definitive strike. Lunging forward as one, they met in the center of the room, their blades combining to create a bright flash that obscured all sight for a time.

Labyrinth's group had made it into the mines, and were now surrounded by a ring of Sinows and Baranz. The security systems had been tripped, and the situation looked grim. Ayame ducked a punch from a Sinow Blue, blasting the robot's torso apart with a massive Foie. Locking onto an energy signal, she felt it strengthen.

_It's Uncle X! Yay!_

Locking onto the signal, she used the distortion in the field to warp past it, materializing in the room. She gazed around, first encountering the slumped figures of Striker and Raiden. Her pace quickened as she encountered the Dreamchasers. Green sparks flew from her hands as she administered Resta to them. Axios groaned, looking up at her. "Help...X..." he managed, before falling over.

Ayame continued onward, finding Nova. She healed him, then turned as she felt an evil presence behind her. She gasped at the sight of X being held aloft by what seemed to be his exact duplicate. Both of them had long wounds in their sides, but X's seemed worse. His clone had a bright wing jutting from his back, but X's conduit seemed to be deactivated.

"Drop him, now!" Ayame cried, sending a powerful Zonde blast at the man she would soon now as Sigma.

Sigma opened his hand, letting X drop to the floor with a thud. He bowed his head, the slowly turned around.

**"Little girl...it's time to die. I grow weary of indulging you mortals..."**

Labyrinth's voice sounded in Ayame's ear. "Ayame, where are you?"

"I found them. I can break the barrier, if you warp them out. Please hurry." Focusing all her technique power, she released a ring of pink energy that reverbrated through th e room. Seconds later, her hands sprang up, creating a shield of pure energy to protect her from Sigma's assault. The sound of telepipes being activated rang throughout the room as the Dreamchasers, Cranberry, Black Raiden, Striker and finally X were warped to the safety of Resistance HQ.

"Ok, Ayame. We got them. What about you?"

Ayame spoke, a tone in her voice entirely different from any Labyrinth had ever heard. The only being to ever hear the voice of her 'older self' was Danielle, who was watching gleefully from the back of her mind.

"I'm going to end this. Goodbye, Labyrinth." She removed the headset from her ear, casually dropping it to the ground. With a twist of her heel, she crushed it with one stomp.

She straightened, gazing into Sigma's eyes. "So...you're the clone of X. Zionus's little pet. A pathetic existence. Time to get rid of you..." Ayame raised her hands, gathering power for a second before firing off her Shadow Flare technique. It hit Sigma's shield, cracking the weakened barrier with ease. He was drained from his battle, and for the first time a hint of worry crossed his face.

**"Insect! I will end you."** He began to glow with energy as he rose off the ground. Ayame simply smiled, then began to assault him with every technique in her arsenal.

In Zionus' citadel, the insane god feels his creation weaken. His scream of rage echoes throughout the building as he releases a blast of energy that levels his throne room. **_The girl has interfered for the last time...I shall prove to these sheep why I am the Avatar of the Great Light._** Zionus reinforces Sigma with new power, boosting the aura around his minion with but a fraction of his divine might.

Sigma's newfound strength suprises Ayame, and an Angelic Scream slams into her, knocking her into the ground. As a second, much more powerful attack screams towards her, she releases her hatred. A split-second later, Danielle stands, crackling with purple lightning as her sable wings extend. Channeling Darkness, she blocks Sigma's shot with a soft laugh.

**"Well...this will be fun. I've always wanted to kill a conduit user... The fact that you look so much like X is a bonus."** Danielle chuckled evilly, her blood-red hair blowing in the sorcerous wind created by the exertion of the two divine powers.

**"Demon, you will die at my hands!"** Sigma gathered power, sending a wave of energy through the mines that shook the foundations of the complex.

Danielle yawned, raising her hand to her mouth. **"Wow...you think you can make my world shake? Bring it on, you choirboy reject. Hmph...at least X is somewhat cute. You are just...annoying. As much as I would like to kill him, I think you'll do to play with for now. I've been rather bored..."** Laughing the patented laugh, Danielle released the mental block on her conduit, letting the pure power of the Profound Darkness flow through her.

Elsewhere, Lissandra and Yokote begin to dig through the rubble of the bandit base. Lorna leans in, staring at Sage's serenely peaceful face.

"He's all mine now..." She puts her face next to his, savoring the feel of his soul as she prepares to feast.

Lorna stared at Sage, feeling an old hunger rise within her. He was alive, but completely unconscious. Normal healing magic had saved his life, but the damage had left him in a coma.

_Hmm...I could infuse him with the life energy I drained from those bandits. That would make him feel much better. But to do that, I have to link to his soul. And...since I'm doing such a nice thing, I deserve a treat. I'll bet his soul is delicious. Besides, if he happens to wake up, I'm **certain** he'll enjoy himself. It seems like we will have plenty of alone time here..._

She reached down and gently cupped his face. A look of peace settled over his features as she began to transfer the energy to him. She smiled as his breathing strengthened, and leaned down to kiss him deeply. Her highly attuned senses felt his soul stir, and she mentally embraced him with her powers as her arms slid around him. As the healing energy began to flow from her soul to his, she began to test the edges of his essence with her powers, getting a feel for his soul. She could sense the presence of Lutz's strong will intertwined with his, and the feel of it was intoxicating to her. _Ooh...twice the meal for half the work. I like this..._

She embraced him more tightly, feeling his body begin to recover. She gently reached to his soul with hers, letting the fluctuating energy fields come into synch.Just as she began to 'pull' lightly on his soul with her powers, a psionic scream echoed in her mind.

_"Lorna! Back away from him, you demon. You will not take his soul..."_Lutz's voice resounded through her head.

_"Lutz, you old grouch...I'm trying to help him. If I don't jumpstart his life energy, he might never wake up. Meaning your moldy old self would be trapped inside his mind until his body finally dies. That would be a long, long time. Are you sure you want to deal with that?"_

"If you are trying to help him, why are you beginning to eat his soul?"

"Because...I have to connect with him to transfer the life energy. And he'll enjoy this. It's not going to hurt him. Think of it as me expanding his horizons..."

"Lorna, you never change. You always think that your way is the best, and that you have the right to choose their path. You try to cloak your selfishness with altruism, but it is all a sham. You are a monster."

"You're just jealous. You had me once, and felt true bliss. Then you rejected it. That's why you are so bitter."

"I, like most people, do not like to have my very essence devoured by a soulless monster like you! You have tried to manipulate people into making your view of the world a reality,and many died in the process. You are a monster. You coerce people, use them up and discard the shattered, brittle husks that are left."

"But I did it for them..."

"You did it so you could gain power. You haven't changed in all the centuries since your first attempt. You are a selfish, conceited, heartless monster that uses people like they are livestock." 

Lorna has drawn back completely from Sage, and their are faint tears forming in her eyes. She shakes herself, then reestablishes the mindlink with Lutz, who is still railing at her.

_"You are just as bad, Lutz. You manipulate people to fulfill your little schemes, all in the name of the "Great Light." If this thing is so great, why does it force the people to do it's will? Why doesn't it protect them itself? It's using them like puppets. At least I make the people I encounter enjoy themselves, instead of shuffling them around like pawns on a damned chessboard! You take away their free will just as much as I do, yet you hide behind your so-called 'holy mandate'. That's absurd."_

"At least I don't have to hide my activities. My actions take place for the good of the people. Yours are for your own pleasuring. I serve a higher purpose. You serve your own lust. People are incapable of grasping what true 'free will' is. Without someone to guide them, they would descend into anarchy and chaos."

"And be able to actually choose what they want, instead of being led around like little pets!"

"And you take such good care of your pets, Lorna. Remember those farmers that defended you until their dying breath, against those who wanted to burn you as a witch? You made their family members cut them down while you escaped."

"Their family members wanted to attack and destroy the other village! I tried to talk them out of it, and they called me a witch. I didn't want to hurt them, so I persuaded those farmers to talk to them. I didn't want to see anyone get hurt..."

"So you left them to die? You could have used your powers and stopped the conflict, but you didn't want to endanger the fun you might have had. You are pathetic."

Lorna is sobbing freely at this point. _" I wanted them to work it out on their own. I didn't want to have to step in and do it for them. I was trying to help them..."_

"Right. You are a monster, incapable of truly caring about others. You will never sacrifice your amusement to help another. You will never change. Stay away from Sage, or I will be forced to deal with you."

"Why didn't you step in and help them? The Espers could have stopped that war."

"It did not serve a higher purpose to interfere in that conflict. It was not our place."

"Oh, I get it. When you need something done that your precious little miracle-worker hands can't handle, people are your 'greatest asset.' When they actually need anything more than cryptic advice and 'tough love', it's 'not your place'? That's heartless and cruel."

"We do not promise to make the world a perfect place. It is impossible. People are too flawed..."

"If you just give up that easily, it is impossible. You must at least make some kind of effort."

"Oh, you mean do like you and enslave them for your carnal desires? I won't sully my hands with that, demon." 

Lorna stares at Sage, quaking with rage as she continues to transfer energy to him. Tears are running down her beautiful face as she ponders Lutz's words.

Lorna increases the flow of healing energy from herself to Sage, seeing the color begin to come back to his face. As the link strengthens between them, she can feel herself begin to inadvertantly absorb part of his essence into herself. By sheer force of will, she stops this. Placing both hands on his face, she intensifies the healing energy, her palms beginning to radiate an ethereal blue light.

Her efforts are answered by the sardonic mental voice of Lutz piercing her thoughts. 

_"Well, couldn't resist could you? I knew it. If it ever comes to postponing your own enjoyment, you are incapable of doing it. At least monsters are honest with their deprevations. Your evil has no place in this world, and neither do you."_

"Then why don't you stop me from healing your precious host right now? You can't. You call me evil, and say I have no place...yet you need me. There is more to life than black and white, light and dark, good and evil. You can't comprehend that, because you are no more or less human than I. Lutz, your problem is that you can't empathize with the people you are trying so hard to 'help'. You feel like you have to lord over them, because they are incapable of choosing their own path. If they never gain this ability, you will always have to control them. Or are you so insecure of your place in the world that you feel you have to make yourself needed?"

"You always did like to twist things around to your benefit, Lorna. You say you want to help them, and yet, what have you ever done to help? Every attempt you've made to intervene has ended in tragedy. If you were actually attempting to help, and willing to give of yourself to do so, you might not be such a miserable failure..."

Lorna reacted to this as if he had physically slapped her. _"You have the audacity to call me a failure? I'm not the one that's been trapped in an orb for centuries while others do my dirty work."_

"At least when I chose to intervene, I don't get the ones that believed in me killed in a petty little play for power."

"You don't get it, do you? I know I've made mistakes. I'll admit it. The difference is...I can see my mistakes. I can learn from what I did wrong, instead of chalking it up to 'fate', or 'destiny' or whatever lofty-sounding excuse you feel like pulling out at the time.

My ego is not so much on the line that I feel like I have to be proven right. I can admit when I'm wrong. You can't. That is why you never actually do any real good. You sit back, and let your 'plans' succeed purely on the desperate struggles of the humans. If you were willing to put some effort into it, you could have made their lives a thousand times better, yet you didn't. You feel it's 'not your place'.

Well, I have news for you...life isn't just about life-threatening battles and universal crises. There's a lot of living left to be done in between all that. Until you can realize that, you will never be truly effective as a 'Guardian of the Universe' or whatever pompous title you have effected for yourself."

"Hmph. You rail about how you have changed, and how you have learned from your mistakes, yet you still drain Sage. You cannot deny what you are. You are a parasite..."

"Fine. I'll prove it to you." Lorna increased the flow of energy, the bright blue glow suddenly lighting up the darkened space they inhabited. She reached out with her powers, gently brushing against Sage's soul with hers, a lingering caress. As his breathing and hearbeat returned to normal, life and color flooded back into him.

_"See, I told you. I didn't drain him. I just...nibbled. Now leave me alone, you old fool."_ Lorna broke the link, pulling back her essence as she gave one last brush of her senses against Sage's soul. She sighed, then wiped her eyes. Sage was breathing deeply now, apparently asleep.

"Well, that's over with. Now...we have to get out of here." Lorna reached outward with her tired senses, contacting Lissandra and Yokote.

_"Hello. Sage is alright. I would suggest you go try and find Brom. As soon as Sage comes to, I'll get him to free us."_

"Can he handle that in his condition? I tried moving it, but I'm too drained from the battle..." Lissandra asked mentally, a strong undercurrent of worry in her voice.

"I'm very good at what I do. He's fully healed. His body is just resting from the process. He should be waking up any time now. Good luck finding Brom."

"Alright. Keep in contact, please." Lorna broke the link, steeling herself with a few deep breaths as overworked mental passageways refused to relax easily.

With a slight giggle, she leaned down and kissed Sage, breaking the small sleeping spell she had placed on him as a form of anesthetic.

Sage felt himself drift upwards, out of a formless, shapeless void. He came back to himself, wondering briefly if he was alive or dead. He soon felt the soft, warm touch of a pair of lips on his, and his eyes opened slowly. Lorna was leaning over him, her chest pressing against him as she kissed him. She seemed to be enjoying herself a bit too much...

When Lorna felt him stir, she slowly pulled away, sliding her hands down his sides, placing her hands on the ground to push herself up.

"Well, good to see you, sleepyhead. Feeling better?" she asked, a slight smile playing on her face in the close darkness of the niche where they were trapped. The space was illuminated by a small, glowing blue orb held lightly in her left hand. With her right, she brushed back a stray lock of blonde hair as she contemplated him with that same amused smile on her face.

"How...what happened? I remember being hit, and then nothing but blackness. Did I die? Are the others ok?" he asked, still a bit confused by what was going on.

"No, not quite. You almost did, though. Jacen hit you with his vulcan cannon, and we almost lost you. Lissandra and Yokote are fine. They are above the spot where we are now, searching for Brom. It seems Jacen triggered a self-destruct sequence that nearly brought the place down on top of us. We've been trapped here about...two or three hours. I've been trying to heal you, and that grouch Lutz keeps interfering. He made it far more draining than it should have been..." Lorna said, pressing the back of her hand to her forehead, leaning back slightly against the debris pile.

"Hmm...that's odd. Well, thank you for saving my life. If you don't mind me asking...what were you doing when I came to?" Sage said, a slow blush apparent on his face in the glow of Lorna's witchlight.

"I was waking you up, of course. If I hadn't put you in a sleeping trance while I transferred the energy, you would have been in a lot of pain. For that particular trance, the only way to be awakened is, well...you now the tales about the kiss of the prince 'waking the sleeping princess' and all that? It's kind of the same thing, only in reverse."

Sage stared blankly for a second. Lorna smiled, and replied "You seem rather disappointed. We are stuck here, if you'd like to discuss our arrangements more closely. It's nice, private and cozy..." she said, leaning towards him slightly with a mischievous, nearly feral grin on her face. He blushed brightly, turning away to look at the roughly oval space they were trapped in.

"So, um...how are we going to get out of here?" he asked, desperate to change the subject.

"I was hoping you could help with that, dear. I'm very tired from the whole 'saving your life' thing." Lorna answered, smiling at him.

"Ok, I can try." Sage braced himself, opening up the links to his powers, flexing his mental muscles experimentally. As the blocks were released, he felt Lutz's presence in his mind.

_"Have a good nap? I was busy saving your soul while you were sleeping. Lazy child..." Lutz chided him._

"Gee...let's see you take some anti-vehicle rounds to the chest. Oh wait, that's right. You can't, because you are a disembodied presence that needs me to exist."

"I would warn you to be cautious around Lorna...some events transpired that you need to know about. However, now is not the time. Let us work to get you out of this tomb. I am still rather weak, so I will provide a reserve for you to draw off of if you need it."

"Alright, thanks." 

Sage took a few deep breaths, then reached out with his telekinesis, testing the weight of the rubble. With a flexing of his powers, he created a telekinetic dome around himself and Lorna. He pushed outward, straining slightly at the unexpected weight of the debris. Pushing harder, he began to see black spots over his eyes.

His breathing quickened, and with a last burst of power he freed them from the debris, shunting it aside with a wall of telekinetic force. His overtaxed body pitched forward for a split-second, barely saved from hitting the ground by Lorna's surprisingly strong embrace. She pulled him close for a second, giving him a light squeeze before releasing him. "Good job! Rest for a moment, and we can go find the others..."

Sage slumped forward, catching himself on his hands as he let his body rest. _That was odd...she's usually not quite that grabby. Not that I mind, but still. She's acting strangely. I wonder what Lutz was talking about...?_ The softly twinkling stars of the Dezolian sky illuminated the area as he gazed around.

Lissandra and Yokote had succeeded in finding Brom's mangled figure, and between the two of them they were able to carry the badly damaged android back to where Sage and Lorna were freed. After an ecstatic greeting of the now fully-healed Sage, they began to examine the extent of the damage.

Inside the headquarters of the Resistance, X, the Dreamchasers and Cranberry's group of Baranz hunters are quickly shuttled off to the medical wing. Doctors and nurses bustle about, assessing and beginning to repair the damage. Leah, Keiko and JiEin are waiting outside as they are approached by Labyrinth.

"It appears they will be fine. We cannot get a teleportation lock on Danielle, though." Labyrinth said.

"Danielle...? Dont you mean Ayame?" Leah asked, a puzzled look on her face.

"The few scans we have been able to collect have shown that Danielle has manifested again. The combined energy out put in that area of the mines is growing rapidly. I hypothesize that Ayame deliberately allowed Danielle to manifest in order to fight X's clone." Labyrinth said calmly.

"Can't we get her out of there?" JiEin asked.

"At the moment, no. She could teleport herself out, if past performance is any indication. She does not seem to want to leave, and we cannot get in because of the interference given off by the rising levels of ambient energy. We either must wait until the interference has died down, or simply wait on her."

The group settled into a morose wait, resigning themselves to the terrible anticipation.

Deep within the mines, Danielle faces off against Sigma.

A slight wind begins to blow, caused by the coalescing energy fields interacting as the two conduits draw from their opposing sources of power.

Danielle's blood-red hair starts to blow around in the breeze as she studies her opponent. Crossing her arms over her chest, she flips her hair over her shoulder and smirks.

**"I'm not really all that impressed. You are supposed to be X's clone, but well...I didn't think they came any more pathetic than him. You've proved me wrong. The whole blond thing really throws me off. That, and you have no fashion sense. And you're abyssmally weak. Tch...I'll make your death quick, don't worry. I can't promise it won't be horribly agonizing, but at least it'll be quick. I've got stuff to do..."**

Sigma turns livid at this taunt. With a roar of rage, he fires a beam of white light at Danielle's head. With the smallest amount of movement possible, she leans out of the way and lets it vaporize the wall behind her.

**"Can't even aim correctly. Did they mess up on the recipe when they made you? If this is what they were trying to make...well, I would ask for a refund. The brat could probably make a better 'clone' than you in her 'Happy Caek' toy oven."**

Sigma gathers power, his wings appearing on his back in a blinding flash of white light. He swoops towards Danielle, rapidly firing beams of energy at her. She simply stands, examining the nails of her right hand with a critical eye. As the first of the deadly beams streak towards her, a minuscule flick of her wrist is all it takes for a purple energy field to pop up around her, absorbing his fire harmlessly.

**"Do you ever stop talking? You and your pathetic uncle. I should kill you both. Not only are you arrogant, headstrong and impulsive, but you have no respect even for those far greater than you. You will bow before me as you die, wench!"**

Danielle looks up from examining her nails as he begins to rapidly assail her shield with energy blasts. She yawns, stretches, then runs a hand through her hair. Letting her hands drop to her sides, she sighs.

**"Um...did you say something? I wasn't really paying attention, because you are really boring. You have this monotone voice, and you ramble. I need some wholesome violence to occupy me...you ready?"**

Sigma's answer is an incoherent outburst of pure rage. He swoops towards her, blasting away furiously. As one of his beams hits a weak point in her shield, the redirected energy beam hits her wrist, leaving a slight burn. She curses, and brings her burnt wrist to her mouth. A quick Resta and the burn is gone, but the anger it produced is still there.

**"Alright, that's it! I was going to let you play your little game, but you are boring me. Time to die, chuckles."**

She stretches, gathering dark energy as her feathery black wings appear out of thin air. Her eyes burning with rage, she levitates off the ground as a purple aura appears around her. Sigma's shots are blocked with her bare hands as she powers up.

When he fires off an Angelic Scream at her, she sends it flying into the wall with the merest flick of her wrist. Before he can retaliate, she fires a two handed energy beam at his chest, catching him in midair and pushing him backwards as the deadly purple beam pulses for a second.

Stunned as he is, he is unable to avoid the massive Demon Roar she sends flying at him. As he is surrounded by a cloud of smoke, she forms four of her death orbs and makes them home in on him. When the four glowing black orbs meet on his body, they erupt into a massive explosion that creates a deep crater in the solid metal of the floor.

Laughing softly in triumph, she is astonished to see Sigma emerge from the crater apparently unharmed.

He brushes dirt off of his uniform as he stands, smiling smugly at her.

**"Really...you'll have to do better than that."** As he says this, he forms his energy katana, drawing it from its 'sheath' as he commences his attack, the shimmering white blade cleaving the air as he rushes towards her.

Sigma rushes towards the stunned Danielle, brandishing his energy blade. She backs up, the shining blade barely missing her face. The force of Sigma's swing carries him past the airborn Danielle, the sword cleaving through the thick metal flooring of the mines as if it was paper. His swing turns him around fully, slashing a deep trench into the flooring.

Danielle whirls to face him, her hands glowing with energy as she unleashes a barrage of purple energy balls. The orbs streak from her palms, rushing towards Sigma, each detonating with a powerful explosion as they connect. Sigma staggers from her furious attack, briefly sent backwards by her salvo. He regains his balance in mid-air, steadying himself with his outstretched wings. He points one palm towards her, arcane symbols gathering around his hand as a pinpoint of white light forms in the center of his grasp.

**"Now, you die. Saint Beam!"** he cries, as the ring of arcane symbols begins to spin rapidly. White lights flow from his palm, gravitating to Danielle and forming a ring of energy around her. When she tries to move, she runs into a bluish-white barrier of seemingly solid light, trapping her in a small area. The glow from Sigma's hand grows in intensity, nearly blinding her as a massive sphere of white light forms in his hand.

Feeling the massive power this attack is channeling, her efforts to escape are redoubled. She grows frantic as Sigma pours more and more energy into the spell, the orb growing to become taller and wider than he is. With a shockwave of released power, he unleashes the attack, the kick of the blast pressing his hand back as the orb is split. From the sundered orb, an enormous beam of holy energy is sent streaking towards the imprisoned Danielle. She manages to bring her hands up, creating a shield of energy as the blast hits her. She is enveloped in white light, and over the roar of the blast a scream of agony is heard.

Elsewhere, near one of the settlements on Ragol.

A white flash of energy encompasses one of the small farming settlements. A farmer and his son look up as a god descends from the heavens.

Zionus hovers above the small field of grain, enveloped in blinding white light. He looks around the area and begins to laugh.

**"Pathetic fools. I am the beginning and the end. You shall be redeemed, freed from the toils of your limited existence. Worship me in death, and rejoice!"**

"Lord Zionus. Please...spare my children. We have sent tribute to you, O' Holy One." The farmer is on his knees, bowing deeply as he trembles in fear. His son huddles beside him, looking to his father for a protection that will not come.

With a wave of his hand, Zionus levitates the farmer. He sends a beam of energy through his chest, holding the beam until a pile of cinders is all that's left. Firing a blast near the young boy, he knocks him to the ground. He hovers over to the village and launches a massive two-handed blast at the town square. A dome of white energy erupts from the now decimated town, as the few survivors flee from their burning homes.

All but three are cut down in Zionus' murderous rage, the white beams of light he fires burning everything they touch. He floats off as the three children gaze in sorrow at the destruction of everything they have ever known

In the mines, Sigma's Saint Beam finally tapers off, spending the last of it's destructive potential. The arcane field shatters into quickly dissolving shards of light, and the blinding glare fades. Danielle is crouched on the ground, moaning softly in pain. From what can be seen of her, her body is scorched and burned all over. Gaps and tears in her now-tattered clothing show that a large part of her body is covered in burns. As she looks up at Sigma a single tear of pain-filled rage slides down her cheek.

**"You...bastard. This was one of my favorite outfits. You are going to die for that."**

As she stands, a few bits of her charred uniform fall to the ground. Regaining her footing, she gathers power, her purple aura glowing as her wings reappear. She glares at Sigma, her long red hair flowing over her chest, augmenting the scanty covering of the remnants of her clothing. She casts Resta on herself, healing the burns and soothing the wounds Sigma's blast left on her.

**"I hope you enjoyed that. You won't get another chance."**

"Hmph. At least I have something to look at while I kill you." Sigma says, laughing softly as he blasts away at her. Letting out a wordless scream of hatred, she dashes away from the path of his beam. She takes to the air, flying in a spiral pattern as she retaliates with her own energy beams. The two flit around rapidly, neither managing to land a substantial hit on the other.

Danielle feigns being hit by a beam, and drops slightly to the ground. As Sigma closes in for the kill, she hits him with an enhanced version of Ayame's Hex technique. The arcane symbol that forms around him out of mid-air persists for a second, then disappears leaving a faint purple glow behind. She charges ten death orbs, sending the shining black spheres at him one after the other in rapid succession. His hastily erected shield is able to block the series of explosions, but the successive blasts are disorienting. Danielle rushes towards him, unleashing the massive Demon Roar she had been charging. It impacts against his chest, pushing him back with the force of it's flight. A split-second later, it explodes, enveloping his body in a wave of pure energy. As the smoke clears, he rises from his kneeling positions a bit unsteadily, smoke wafting from his battered body. He shakes his head, steadies himself and gets into a combat position identical to X's, legs braced widely, sword held above his head. Glaring at Danielle, he beckons for her to attack.

She smirks, then lowers to the ground. **"Oh, you think you are impressive with that sword? Hah...this should be fun. Yet another idiot overcompensating with a large katana."**


	9. Wrath of the Divine

Sigma gazes at Danielle, a cold fury in his eyes. Readying his sword, he lunges at her with a vicious swing. Caught off guard by his speed and somewhat weakened by his earlier attacks, she is unable to dodge him easily. She is caught by a diagonal slash from the energy blade, the barrier she managed to bring up barely saving her from being cut in half. The keen blade cuts into her slightly, dripping a trail of blood as it is brought about for another attack.

She fires a blast of purple energy directly at his face, the ensuing flash of light as it hits his barrier creating enough of a distraction to give her time to regroup. A thin crimson line wells up on her shoulder as she backs hastily away. Wincing in pain, she brings her right hand up to cast Resta on her bleeding left shoulder. The wound closes slowly, glowing with a faint white light through the rapidly appearing scar. 

**_Wow...that actually hurt. If I hadn't put the barrier up, I would've been killed. I'm underestimating him... I've let him play for far too long._**

"Hah, do you still scoff at my power now? Foolish little . I will so enjoy watching you die..." 

"Sorry. I'm not exactly in the mood to get killed by a insecure teenager with a sword fetish and self-esteem issues. The whole emo thing is dead anyway. No one cares how insignificant you are, really. So you're a clone, exactly like someone else. It's ok. You don't need to be an individual to die a slow, painful death. I don't discriminate..." 

Enraged by her continual taunting, Sigma dashes at her with a series of furious attacks. Her barrier is able to block some, but the numerous hits that connect despite her attempts at dodging begin to take their toll. Her body is soon decorated with a series of shallow cuts, souvenirs of the strikes that got through her barrier. The few counterattacks she manages to mount are blocked or stopped by his ever-present sword. Every punch or kick she throws is turned into a hasty dodge as she moves out of the path of his blade. The energy attacks she fires are seemingly absorbed by his blade, and she pays for her attacks with fresh wounds each time. Each cut seems to pulse and burn with an intense energy.

Winded, she backs away from him as he wheels about for another series ot attacks. He picks up speed, charging at her with his blade outstretched. She floats nimbly aside at the last second, allowing him to slam full force into the solid metal wall behind her. He shakes his head dizzily, placing a hand on the wall to steady himself. As he attempts to recover, she fires a Demon Roar at him from a short distance away.

The glowing black halo rushes towards him, looming ever closer as he regains his bearings. Heartbeats before the attack connects, he swings his sword at it in a lazy, ambivalent strike. The blade connects with the energy blast, making the halo compress slightly as he flings it away with a flick of his wrist. It impacts with the side wall, demolishing it in a massive explosion. The cloud of dust that rises up obscures her vision, and Danielle begins to cough as she frantically looks around for her assailant.

**_Wonderful...I gave him a smoke screen. I have to take that sword out. It gives him far too much of an advantage._**

**_Hmm...it seems to absorb part of the destructive power of my attacks. But if I give it more energy than it can handle..._**

Her gaze is caught by a flicker of motion out of the corner of her eye. Whirling, she fires a beam of purple energy through the smoke. It does an admirable job of taking out the explosive flare of energy he had generated there, but he is unharmed as he is far away. He lurks above her, readying his weapon as she fires blindly around her, the flash of energy she had created not helping her visibility.. He descends as she fires blasts wildy, gaining momentum to fuel his strike.

She fires another blast at an imagined specter of movement amidst the smoke. A searing wave of agony flows through her as she is struck in the back by his blade. She is batted towards the ground, unable to catch herself. She impacts with full force, lying limply as she struggles to gather the energy for a Resta. Her back is on fire, and it feels as if she has been opened up from neck to tailbone. 

Luckily for her, the damage is not as bad as it feels. She had turned at the last second, and as such only caught a glancing blow. She casts Resta on herself, closing the wound on her back as she gets to her hands and knees, the curtain of her red hair hanging in her face.

**"Well...that was cute. Hope you enjoyed your little sneak-attack. It'll be that last thing you do." **

Sigma's only reply is a harsh laugh as he raises his sword above his head. He channels energy into it, the blade radiating a bright white light as he fuels it. It doubles in size, the aura from it flooding the dim interior of the mines with light.

**"Rayblade!"** he cries, fulfilling his destiny as an anime stereotype. A ball of energy appears at the tip of his upheld sword, growing in size as white energy begins to sparkle around him. His wings extend as he lunges downwards, flying at her in a devastating attack.

Danielle slowly gets to her feet, her hands beginning to radiate a dark, smoky energy. Sinous tendrils of shadow grow around her hands as she takes a slightly more balanced stance, bracing herself for the inevitable impact. The purple aura around her grows in size and intensity, sending jolts of purple lightning jumping from her body to the metallic floor around her.

She looks up, only able to see a bright blur of light as the mad clone descends. Shockwaves rush through the mines as he collides with her block. The interacting energy fields combine to create a massive burst of released energy. The floor buckles underneath them, collapsing into a crater as he presses his attack.

When the glare of the conflicting energy fields dies down, Danielle has her hands in front of her, managing to barely block Sigma's Rayblade attack. Her hands glow with a dark energy as she catches his weapon in between her hands.

His aura flares as he presses towards her, landing on the ground for more leverage. She strains, drawing more and more power from the Profound Darkness. Her muscles are tightened, every fiber of her body tensed as she struggles to hold back his attack. The crater they are in is punched about five feet into the metal floor, revealing rock below it. Danielle shifts, beginning to be pushed back slightly as the rock slides beneath her, the ground being slowly vaporized as she flares with energy.

For once, both Sigma and Danielle seem to be struggling equally. The look on his face reflects his tension as he endeavors to break through her guard. His blade descends, drawing ever closer to Danielle as he pushes with all his might. Blood begins to seep down her arms as her iron grip on the energy katana allows it to press through her barrier, cutting into her. At the sharp stab of pain this causes, she redoubles her efforts.

**"I'm...not...going...to lose...to... you!"** she says through gritted teeth as her gradual slide across the ground slows, then stops. She flares with an angry red light as she abandons all pretense of self-control. Her eyes glow red as the energy pouring out of her makes her hair stick up, as if she was shocked by a massive static discharge. Seconds later, she is surrounded by an interlacing web of dark red lightning as the omnipresent aura around her begins to glow a fierce red. Jolts of lightning jump from her body as she grows stronger, opening herself fully to the darkness. The black shadows around her hands grow in size, becoming less transparent as she powers up. Her wings extend fully, sable feathers falling off of them to dissolve into smoky black wisps.

Sigma shifts his grip on his katana, attempting to use his greater height and weight for leverage. White light radiates from his body as his wings spread, ethereal feathers of energy floating off the wings to dissolve into light. Danielle's hands pulse with black energy as she begins to feed the power of darkness into his blade. Waves of energy rush up and down the blade, growing in intensity as they travel. 

The black waves rebound as they hit either the tip or hilt of the blade, gaining speed and power as they are sent back to Danielle's interlocked hands. They seem to absorb the blood dripping from her palms, growing ever larger as she feeds energy into the weapon. Every time the waves of energy consuming the blade grow larger, Sigma's sword shrinks and dims slightly, it's power seemingly being corrupted and drained by her attack.

Realizing what she is attempting to do, Sigma stops pushing and begins to pull, trying to remove his weapon from her grasp. Caught off guard for a brief second at the change in direction, she is pulled towards him. She reacts faster than he does, planting her feet and pushing downward with her hands, chanting a spell as she does so.

**"Little girl...breaking my sword won't help you any. I can create another. It is an extension of my power."**

"Yes, it is. That means that if I cause all of that power to be drained away, you will be weakened. Hope you enjoy this. It's probably the only time you'll ever get a girl to touch your sword."

"Grrrraaahh!" he yells, all the more determined to kill her now. She finishes chanting her spell, and arcane circles of black runes appear in mid-air, circling around his feet. Another circle of runes appears around each of her hands, causing them to glow more brightly. Sigma's blade flashes brightly for a second, then loses the aura around it. With the completion of the spell, Sigma seems to weaken, the strain of his efforts more apparent on his face.

**"You little ! What have you done!"**

"I'll explain this slowly, since you're a moron." Danielle replies, breathing more easily as the strain on her body is lessened. She is standing straight, pressing his blade towards the ground, preventing him from moving away.

**"I've placed a hex on both you and your weapon. You are now much more vulnerable to energy attacks. I required prolonged contact to be able to get the hex past your barrier. Luckily for me, you're an idiot and gave me that opening. When you get hit, it's going to hurt a lot worse now. However...since my attacks are boosted, I have to be careful to give you the painful, lingering death you so deserve."**

Sigma stops talking, a worried look coming over his face as he applies all his power to resist her. **_I can feel myself weakening. She's not bluffing. I must defeat her. Lord Zionus, I shall not fail you!_**

Danielle surges with dark energy as her grip tightens. The waves of energy nearly double in size, becoming larger than the blade of Sigma's sword. She turns her glowing red gaze on Sigma, smiling a sardonic smile.

**"Well...get ready to die. It's been fun, but I have stuff to do."** Danielle taunts him, charging energy for a Demon Roar in her closed hands. The waves of dark energy rush to her hands, forming into black spheres of power. She begins to pull in opposite directions, the Demon Roar growing in the gap between her hands. Sigma attempts to pull away, but a barrier of purple energy springs solidly up from the arcane circle that surrounds him, pinning him to the spot.

The black spheres of energy divide in half, then divide again before swarming towards Sigma. Two remain on the blade, floating over Danielle's hands. The Demon Roar grows to massive proportions, the black halo of power enveloping the length of Danielle's body. The blood that still drips from her hands is drawn to the spheres, which begin to send sparks of purple lightning to the Demon Roar.

A look of panic comes over Sigma's face as he realizes he is fully within her power. He attempts to put up a barrier to shield himself from the imminent attack, but is assailed by purple lightning from the arcane circle around him.

**"You're probably wondering why that barrier is so strong. I fueled it by letting it feed off of my blood that you spilled. This Demon Roar is going to rip through your barrier and utterly destroy you. Enjoy your trip to oblivion!"**

Danielle brings her hands apart, shattering the blade in half. White light pours from it like water from a broken container. Sigma's aura seems to dim as his face grows pale. The black spheres that hover near him slam into him, piercing visible holes in his barrier. He staggers, falling back against the arcane cage she created around him. The black spheres seem to absorb the released energy, growing in size as they feed power to the Demon Roar, which grows to more than twice Danielle's height.

The glowing black halo singes away a strand of Sigma's hair that strayed into it, as Danielle flashes him a feral grin. With the last of the released power absorbed to feed her attack, Danielle's entire body flares with red light.

"Omega Demon Roar: Blood Oath!" Danielle screams, releasing the massive attack. It slams into the arcane barrier around Sigma, pressing him backwards as the purple cage shatters, it's power absorbed by the Demon Roar. Unable to dodge, he throws up his hands in a futile attempt at a block. The attack hits him, held back for only a split-second by his straining hands. He is enveloped by the Demon Roar, the black halo surrounding him as it glows with red light.

Heartbeats later, the roiling orb of energy at its heart reaches critical and explodes, causing a chain-reaction that transfers all the stored power into pure destructive force. A black ring of light shoots out laterally, followed near-instantaneously by a shockwave that crumbles the walls in the mines. A black dome of energy grows from the attack, expanding to consume the entire mine as it explodes. Ground, metal and debris are vaporized the second they are touched by the attack as the explosion rushes outwards. Glass in settlements miles away shatters, and the earth quakes as Danielle's attack engulfs him. His high-pitched scream is drowned out by the roar of the enormous blast. 

Danielle slumps to the ground, exhausted and spent as the destructive wave rushes towards her. A split-second before it connects, she charges power and rushes skyward, barely managing to escape being vaporized by her own blast. She dodges the debris that falls from the ceiling, blasting a few chunks out of her way as she flies up a nearby mine shaft. She makes it out the top just as the gigantic explosion sends a gout of flame out of the shaft, then begins to consume the area of the mines. She watches from afar as the entire area of the mines is vaporized, support struts collapsing as the tons of earth above the subterranean complex plummets into the mines.

The shockwave and explosion died down, and Danielle fluttered down to rest upon the massive pile of earth, breathing heavily.

**"I...think I overdid it just a little..."** She says weakly, before falling onto her side and slipping into the waiting arms of unconsciousness.

Nova opens his eyes slowly, the world gradually transitioning from blurry to in focus. As he sits up the world around him whirls like a carnival ride. He falls backwards, but is stopped by someone's hands catching him. A few seconds later, he manages to recognize the person who is holding him up. His chest aches, and his head swims, but he is alive.

He gazes up at Kiara as he regains his bearings, briefly surprised to see tears at the corner of her eyes. Shaking his head to clear his vision, he sees Axios slowly walk into the room. Kiara releases him, sitting back with a slightly embarrassed look on her face. Nova reaches a shaking hand up to brush his dark hair out of his eyes, then smiles at his teammates.

"You're alive!" Axios said, limping over to Nova's bed and clasping his shoulder in greeting before slumping into a chair beside him.

"Barely. He was far too strong..."

"Yeah. I'm still wondering how we managed to survive." Kiara said, leaning back in her chair and propping her feet on Nova's bed.

"Well, according to Labyrinth...that kid Ayame was able to teleport past Sigma's barrier and teleport us out. She was just in time, too. X got taken out soon after you did." Axios said, relaxing into his chair.

"A kid rescued us?" Nova said, an incredulous look on his face.

"Yeah, that's what Labby said. She stayed behind to fight Sigma." Axios replied, staring at the ceiling.

'Is she insane? And why didn't she leave? Sigma took out seven skilled hunters effortlessly. None of us even managed to scratch him." Nova stated, a scowl on his face.

"Nova, Ayame is X's niece. She was also somehow connected to that Danielle incident. If she can control that kind of power, she might be able to defeat Sigma." Kiara interjected.

"Has Labyrinth been able to find anything else out? And how are the others?" Nova asked, settling back onto his pillow and lacing his hands behind his head with a small wince.

"Nothing when I last talked to him, about ten minutes ago. At least, nothing he would tell me. But there was a lot of activity around the scanning station. Sounded like one hell of a fight." Axios said.

"And the others are pretty much fine. X is still out, but his friends are in there with him. The two droids and the force we met are being treated now. The doctors said they should be fine." said Kiara, as she shifted her legs to lean farther down in her chair.

"Well, I guess we'll find out more soon. I'm really tired, so I'm going to get some sleep. Sorry I'm not more talkative." Nova said, laying back onto his bed.

"You were the last one of us left standing, Nova. I think you've earned some rest." Axios said, shifting to a more comfortable position as he reclined his chair. "A nap sounds good anyway."

"Heh, thanks. Are you two planning on staying in here?" Nova asked, yawning.

"Yes, if that's ok with you. If Sigma shows up, we're throwing you at him and running anyway. You're our back-up plan." Axios said with a grin.

"Axios...be reasonable. We all know you are the team distraction." Kiara said, smiling at him. "I'm just going to go to sleep here, too. This chair is comfortable, and most of the other rooms are too noisy."

The Dreamchasers soon slept, resting after their incredible efforts. They had succeeded in rescuing X, and coming back from a seemingly impossible mission.

Elsewhere, on Ragol...

Danielle rises from the ground, shaking her head slowly to clear it. To her surprise, she is still in control of Ayame's body.

**_Wow...the brat didn't yank control back yet. That's strange. Usually when I use that much power, she takes over again the first chance she gets._**

_Danielle, the "brat" as you call her isn't in control at the moment. I am. My younger self is dormant at the moment, scared by the shock of facing Sigma. I decided to let you retain control for a little while. For one, you did something decidedly unselfish. Two, I can have her regain control at any time if you decide to get kill-crazy again._ Ayame spoke into Danielle's mind as Danielle stood.

**_Well, that's nice. So terribly kind of you. As long as I do the dirty work and be a good girl, I get to stay? Oh well. at least I got to kill something that looked like X. That will satisfy me for a bit. He was a lot tougher than X was, though. I creamed X easily the first time I fought him. The clone was drawing power from that Zionus bastard. Who, incidentally, is next on my "people I'm going to enjoy killing" list. I hate televangelists, and anyone stupid enough to make another X is someone who should not be allowed to continue breathing._**

_I don't blame you. Zionus needs to be stopped. Perhaps we should head back to the Resistance's base. You are rather injured, and I'm sure Ayame will want to go there eventually to see X. Just remember...no killing._

**_Alright already. Geez, what do you think you are...my conscience?._ **

Danielle mutters "Hinas", and teleports to the headquarters of the Resistance.

Deep within the mines, a dim white glow can be seen emanating from the massive pile of rubble...

The doctor brushed sweat off his forehead, then looked down at his patient. The man's body responded remarkably well to treatment, and he was out of critical condition in a matter of moments. However, there still seemed to be a pervasive weakness filling him, a hollowness about him.

_To think...I'm treating a legend. I'm worried about how his vital signs and general physical condition don't match the scans we are getting from him. It's like a part of his life energy has been removed. Even Resta and Trimates don't seem to be able to get him back to full capability. He should be registering higher on the functioning and ability tests, considering how great a hunter he is... Oh, well. Nothing I can do about it now, except run more tests and try to keep him comfortable._

"Rest well, X. The nurse will be around in about an hour or so to check on you."

The long-haired hunter's eyes glinted at this, and a small smirk came to his face. "Alright. Thanks, doc. Is there anyway I could get a computer placed in here?"

"We'll see. Right now, you should get some rest. I have other patients to attend to, so I'll check in later." The doctor left the room, continuing his rounds. He was so absorbed in thought that he nearly ran into a black-haired Hunewearl with an eye-patch that was standing outside in the hallway. She was accompanied by a tall red-and-black Hucast and a shorter Hunewearl in a gray outfit with light blue hair.

"Excuse me." the doctor said, dodging the Hunewearl. He straightened up, then looked at them more closely.

The Hucast spoke. "We were wondering if we could go in to see X now. The nurse said his treatment was almost complete..."

"Yes, I'm the doctor that was treating him. His treatment is indeed complete, but you shouldn't go in to see him right now. He needs rest, and..." the doctor's comment was cut off by the taller Hunewearl heading for the door.

"You can't go in there right now. I'm very sorry." the doctor said, stepping in front of her.

"Move. Now." Leah said, attempting to push past him. When he continued to block her path, she delivered a right cross to his jaw that knocked him sprawling to the floor. She stormed past him into the room.

Keiko healed the doctor with Resta, then looked up as JiEin followed Leah into the room. "Sorry about that. She's been pacing out here for the past two hours. He...means a lot to her. She's practically family. Next time...just get out of her way. She's vicious when she's like this."

"Hmph. Well, he does need rest. I take no responsibility for this, but I suppose I can allow it this once. Just please try to make sure she doesn't stay too long." The doctor said as he turned to leave.

"I'll try. And thanks for saving him and all." Keiko said as she stepped into X's room.

Leah walked up to the dozing X and delivered a hard roundhouse slap to his face, sending him reeling.

"Ow, skank! What the hell was that for?" He asked, rubbing his cheek gingerly as he was shocked into awareness.

"That was for almost dying, and rushing off to get controlled by Zionus. And nearly killing Ayame."

"And this..." she said, flinging her arms around his neck and holding him tightly, nearly cutting off his airway. "is for making it back alive. I'm so glad you are ok!" she said, burying her face in his shoulder as tears began to flow.

X's eyes strayed to the top of her low-cut shirt, but the lack of oxygen due to her crushing embrace soon made his vision too dark to enjoy the view.

As he began to turn blue, Leah finally noticed his gasps for air and loosened her grip.

"Oh, sorry X. I'm just so happy." she said, sitting on the bed.

JiEin and Keiko came into the room, catching the end of the display.

"Hello, X. Good to see you still breathing. What's it feel like to be the meat shield this time?" JiEin said, stepping near the bed. Keiko was unable to see over him, so she transitioned into her cat form and leaped around him, curling up at the base of X's stomach and purring loudly.

Surrounded by his friends, X began to recount what happened.

Labyrinth gazed at his monitor screens, taking information from the six monitors far faster than a human would be able to.

_This is not good. Large amounts of energy are being detected from Ragol, in two separate areas. The energy signal of Danielle seems to have moved, but the other two are akin to Zionus. I wonder if I can get a visual feed..._

Tapping a few keys, the view on the top right screen switches from a scanning log to a camera feed. A bright, actinic flare of white light is seen, accompanied by a loud explosion and the sounds of screaming. Seconds later, the view from the camera fades to static and blacks itself out.

_Well, that is definitely not good. It appears that someone or something is on a rampage. As Sigma seems to be stuck in the mines...I can only assume it is Zionus. I must find a way to warn the people on Ragol... _

On the surface of Ragol, Zionus is at the end of a ten-mile trail of destruction. He has cut a vicious swath through the settlements, killing all in his path.

**_Pathetic fools. I am their god now. They will bow or be annihilated._**

He is approached by a middle-aged man holding a photon rifle.

"Why are you destroying our homes and killing our families? We have nothing to do with you. We just wanted to be left in peace..."

**"You are impure. The only peace attainable for you is through me, straight to the void. Repent and be saved. Deny me, and face indescribable torment."**

The man gripped his rifle with shaking hands, and slowly raised it to his shoulder. "Get out, mister. We won't bow to you. We've done nothing wrong. I tried to warn you..." With this, the man sealed his fate, firing four shots from the outdated weapon that impacted on Zionus' barrier with no effect.

Two more villagers peeked their heads out from behind the ruins of their home. Zionus gestured, melting the mans rifle into slag and lifting him into the air. As the man squirmed in Zionus' grasp, a look of abject terror came over his face. "Please..." he said, gasping for breath as Zionus tightened his mental grip. "I...have a family."

**"Then be sure to tell them of the wonders of my paradise."** Raising his other hand, Zionus fired a beam of energy from his palm that split into five as it lanced toward the man. Each separate beam hit him, one in each limb and one in his torso.

Bluish white flames appeared where each of the beams hit, slowly spreading across the man's body as he cried out in agony. The flames spread, devouring flesh, clothing and bone with a ravenous hunger. Zionus kept the man alive til the very last instant, prolonging the agony long after the man should have been dead. He formed a shell of energy around the dying man, keeping his charred body intact until the holy flame had reduced him entirely to cinders. Dropping the field, Zionus allowed the man's ashes to blow away on the wind.

**"The flames of purification devour all. My glory is the only route to true salvation. Hear me and tremble, mortals!" **he cried. Gazing up at Pioneer 2, he gathered light around himself. With but a thought, he warped there, leaving devastation all around him.

**_Hmph. They defeated my servant, and seek to resist my will wherever they go. I shall have to teach them a lesson..._**

On Dezolis, Sage is telekinetically carrying the partially reactivated Brom as the others search the rubble. After about twenty minutes, Yokote nearly trips over the lip of a concealed metal door amidst the rubble. Kneeling down, he brushes aside the dust and small debris that cover it. Etched into it's surface is some faded lettering. 

"L..a..n..d..a..l..e" he spells out, after a difficult attempt at deciphering it. Drawing one of his sabers, he ignites it for better illumination. "Landale Service Hangar, Main Entrance." Standing, he reports his find to the others.

'Jadrek was correct. The hangar for the ancient ship is here. I'm standing by the doorway." he said, waving them over as he deactivates his saber.

The others walk over, Brom still being levitated by Sage. A few minutes' work has the hangar door opened, and the groups descends into the complex. Lights spring to life as they approach, illuminating a well-lit and clean metallic complex underground. Stopping before a massive door as the reach the end of the downward slope, they attempt to open it.

"Enter password, please." a chirping mechanical voice sounds as Lissandra touches the access panel.

"Um...anyone know the password?" she asks.

"No clue. Just try something random." Lorna says, gazing around the room.

"Landale" Liss types in, which is met with a "Password is incorrect' response from the cheery mechanical voice.

Ten minutes and around thirty more passwords later, and the door is still shut.

Sage slowly lowers Brom to the ground, debating whether or not to try another futile Resta. Deciding not to waste the energy, he releases him from the telekinetic field, lowering him onto the ground above a circular pattern etched into the metal. If Sage had not turned away to assist the others, he would have noticed a very faint green glow begin to emanate from the section of flooring.

With a flash of purple light, Danielle appears outside the Resistance's Headquarters. Looking around, she sees that the streets are nearly deserted. With a thought, she releases herself from drawing on her conduit's power, forcing her wings into dormancy.

The aura around her fades and disappears, leaving her looking relatively normal. Except for being beat up, battered and rather disheveled looking. She asks a passing soldier for directions as she steps inside, smiling as he seems unable to tear his gaze from the rents in her clothing.

"Hey you. Where's Labyrinth?" she asks, her voice losing its divine majesty as she reverts to a regular newman form.

"I'm sorry, but you're not authorized to know that." he said.

"Well, sorry for you." Reaching out, she touches the man on the forehead before he can move. With a quick use of her telepathic powers, she finds the information she is looking for and continues on, leaving the man slumped against the wall.

_Moron. If he could have stopped gawking at me for a second, he would have realized who I was. Hmm...maybe the brat will let me have control long enough to have a little fun. If everyone looks at me like that..._

Her brief reverie was interrupted as she reached Labyrinth's office. Knocking on the door, she was beckoned inside.

"Hiya, Lab." She says, her voice a bit hoarse from the smoke she inhaled in the mines.

If androids could look surprised, Labyrinth would be. His shock was betrayed by the slight hesitation in his response.

"Hello, Ayame. Or is it Danielle?"

"Duh, it's Danielle. Notice the hair, and the fact that I'm far hotter than her."

"Right. How, or more precisely, why are you here?" he asks, standing.

"Oh, relax. If I was gonna blow the place up, I would've done it already. I beat Sigma, after the brat nearly got herself killed. I took over and kicked his ass. In gratitude for that, she let me stay for a while. Made a stupid 'no-killing' rule, but other than that let me have my fun. I figured I should come back here, as all my stuff is here."

"You...defeated Sigma? Very impressive. Are you alright? You look physically damaged."

"I'm sore as hell, exhausted and drained. I'll have to let the brat come back for me to really rest, but I wanted to have a little fun first. Is X here?"

"Yes. Be warned, if you attempt to harm him I will be forced to stop you."

"I'm not gonna kill him. Geez, Lab. Relax. For an android, you are really uptight. I mean, sure...last time we met I tried to kill you, but I'm better now. Can't you just let bygones be bygones?"

"I suppose. I'll take you to his room, but I must accompany you. I do not wish him to be killed after all the trouble we went to in rescuing him."

"Alright, alright. Fine. Buzzkill."

Labyrinth left the room, keeping a close eye on Danielle as she walked beside him. He sent a coded message to Dr. Hahn as he walked, informing him of her arrival.

The skies above the high-rent district of Pioneer 2 opened up, a bright flash of light searing the artificial night. Zionus appeared, glowing with divine power.

**"Pathetic trash of humanity...prepare to be judged!"** he cries, extending one hand palm outwards as a ball of white energy coalesces in front of it. With a disdainful flick of his wrist, he hurls it towards a high-rise apartment building.

The orb of destructive force impacts at its base, liquifying the first few floors. As the building starts to crumple, three more orbs reduce the remainder to dust, incinerating all inside. The few residents that manage to run screaming outside are cut down by white beams of light that consume them with blue flame until they are reduced to cinders.

Zionus turns to the next building, a large office complex. Gathering power, he points his hand at it. White wisps of power appear from mid-air, drawn to his hand as a bright glow forms. Seconds later, he fires an enormous white beam from his palm, raking the coherent stream of energy across the width of the building. It slices through it easily, melting support girders and shattering glass. He hovers down slightly, raising his arm to blast the beam up the vertical length of the building.

He increases the intensity of the beam, charging it with power until the building and all that are inside are reduced to ashes. The beam continues, hitting the outer wall of Pioneer 2 and piercing through easily. The vacuum of space begins to rush in, enlarging the hole rapidly as the failsafes kick in, isolating the block from the rest of Pioneer 2. The few people in this section that weren't at work or school rush to the transporters, but only around half are able to get away.

Zionus notices the fleeing crowds and obliterates the teleporter with an energy blast. Rising above the panicked crowd, he gathers power with both hands and rains down devastation on them, incinerating them in a matter of moments. One survivor, slumped under the pile of charred bodies, rises slowly to his feet. He is lifted by Zionus' powers, carried aloft into the air.

"Please, don't kill me. I'm the head of the largest technique disk manufacturer on Pioneer 2. I can give you great power..."

**"Fool. What do you know of power? I am a god. How have you come about this pathetic 'power' you speak of?"**

Reaching into the man's mind, twisting and burning, he forcibly extracts the memories from him. As the man's mind caves in upon itself, Zionus allows the shattered person to drop to the ground. Before the catatonic man can hit the ground, Zionus swoops over to him, cleaving him in half with a massive energy blade. He blasts the remains of the man to cinders, then flies out of the gaping hole in Pioneer 2's hull.

In Resistance HQ, Danielle stops for a second. Labyrinth turns to her, wondering what she is up to.

"What are you doing?" he asks, a hint of suspicion in his voice.

"Changing. You can't see it, but any human or newman that sees me will see me in different clothing. I look kinda beat up, and I want to look my best for my dear uncle." she replies.

Labyrinth and Danielle reach X's room, and they step inside. X looks up from his bed, awakened from a light doze.

"Lab? And who's the nurse? Is it time for my spongebath already...?"

"Yes sir. But I've heard so much about you..." Danielle says, slinking towards X. Labyrinth attempts to speak, but his speech is hindered by the toggle switch Danielle hit telekinetically as she walked towards X. Labyrinth, set on 'mute', is unable to speak. He stands there, ready to stop Danielle if she tries anything. To his eyes, she is acting very strangely anyway.

Danielle slinks towards X, leaping onto his lap as he sits up.

"Um...hi. If all nurses are like you, I could grow to like being in the hospital." X says, a grin appearing on his face. _I really hope Leah doesn't come in right now. This nurse is very...friendly. And her outfit is much, much better than the others..._

Danielle smiles at X, wrapping her arms around him in a hug. "It's so nice to finally meet you, X. I'm a big fan..." she says. _This is going to be hilarious. When he finds out who I really am..hahahaha. It'll be better than killing him._ She attempts to hide the evil grin on her face as she hugs him, and since his attention is on other things at the moment, she succeeds.

Labyrinth gives a beep from the corner, his emergency protocols overriding the 'mute' switch. The sensors in his office, programmed to keep track of information and route it to him were going haywire.

"Danielle! Zionus is on Pioneer 2. He can detect you. You have to revert back to Ay-..." Whatever Labyrinth was about to say was cut off by Neifirst as she stepped up to him and placed a finger over her lips, warning him to be quiet.

She grinned, then nodded at X who was still...entertained by Danielle. Danielle was sitting in his lap, smiling evilly as he hit on her. The flustered hunter didn't even seem to notice, as groggy as he was from the medication he was on. That, and the distraction caused by his new nurse's outfit.

Danielle's expression changed as she reached out with her senses. _Oh, damn. Labyrinth was right. Guess now's as good a time as any to give X a heart attack. _Sighing inwardly, she allowed Ayame to regain control. Instantly, her hair and eyes changed color, her facial expression changing to a happy amusement. Her eyes were closed as she was still not entirely back in control yet.

X reacted, mildly startled. "Whoa! And you have color-changing hair. Lab...do you think you could cause me to be permanently laid up in the hospital?"

Neifirst let out a harsh laugh. "No, but I'm sure Leah will. How nice of a way to greet your niece..." Neifirst said, unable to contain her guffaws of laughter.

"My...niece...?' X replied, panic rising in his voice. Gazing at the semi-unconscious girl sitting in his lap, he looked at the clothing and hair, and a spark of recognition came to his face. _Oh my god...it is her. Damn, she grew up quick. I wasn't out that long, was I? And how did she change that much? _Reacting quickly, he shoved her away as uncertainty changed to utter horror on his face.

The shock of X pushing her away snapped Ayame awake as Danielle released the last vestige of control over their shared body. Danielle's sardonic laughter rang through Ayame's head as she relinquished control to Ayame.

Ayame's eyes opened, and she let out a squeal of glee as she beheld X. Lunging forward, she wrapped her arms around his neck in a bearhug.

"Uncle X, Uncle X, Uncle X! You're ok! Yaaaay!" she yelled as she tackled him.

X fainted as his head was slammed into the wall by his hurtling niece.

In another area of the Resistance HQ's medical wing, Cranberry, Black Raiden and Striker are being treated. Cranberry watches as the technician completes his repairs on Striker. Black Raiden stands to the side, leaning against the wall. Cranberry is sitting in a chair, relaxing.

The technician finishes connecting a few wires and closes Striker's chest plate. Striker's eyes flicker on, and he moves his head from side to side, testing his systems.

"Well, that's better. What should we do now?" he asks.

"I'd like to stay and help them fight that Sigma guy. He needs to be taken out, and his boss Zionus too." Black Raiden says, standing up as she moves away from the wall.

"I agree. I don't like being nearly scrapped for no reason. Cran, what about you?" Striker asks, getting to his feet.

"Zionus is evil. If I can do anything to stop him, I will. Let's go find Labyrinth. We can't hunt with Zionus wreaking havoc, anyway."

The group of hunters leave the room, heading for Labyrinth's office.

Zionus flies out into space, surrounded by an energy shield. In his divinely-powered body, he has no need to breathe. The debris from Pioneer 2 that hits his shield is vaporized on contact. He flies towards the nearest residential block, unleashing a beam of energy that cuts them off from Pioneer 2. He welds the gaping hole cut into the hull shut, then warps inside.

People are screaming and running around, buildings collapsing as the ceiling becomes the floor, and the artificial gravity cuts off. A few people manage to make it to the teleporter before Zionus blasts it to atoms.

**"Fools! You should be honored. Your lives will assist in the purging of the unclean. Bow to me, and beg for salvation."**

Zionus cuts down a few random people, then blasts a hole in the hull and flies out before welding it shut against the vacuum.

He flies to the floating residential block, immobilizing it in the vacuum of space with his powers. He fires a few energy blasts at it, igniting it with a slowly burning blue flame. He stabilizes it, then gazes at the residential block nearest him.

**_Mintaka, eh? They'll die just as easily. All who oppose me must be judged..._**

Igniting the flaming wreckage of Rigel with another pulse of blue flame, he uses his powers to hurl the doomed residential block at the Mintaka block below.

Inside Rigel, the people cling to each other in their last moments, desperate for comfort. Luckily, they feel no pain as their ship impacts with the pressure dome of Mintaka, killing them instantly. The dome shatters, the remnants of Rigel crashing into Mintaka's main residential area. Blue flame erupts around the artificial meteor as a large explosion occurs.

The few people that weren't immediately killed or sucked out into space soon fell to the massive energy beam that Zionus fired, a double handed attack that scoured Mintaka down to its structural supports. Thousands perished at the hands of the mad god, their lives blinking out in an instant.

Observing his handiwork, Zionus begins to laugh. **_The fools will know to worship me now. They will bow to me or perish by my flames. None can withstand my power! Now, for a bit more business..._**

Warping to another point in Pioneer 2, he blinks out in a flash of white light.

On Dezolis, Sage's group continues to try the password door. They are having no luck, until they are startled by a metallic sound behind them. Whirling, weapons at the ready...they encounter the fully healed figure of Brom.

"What are you fleshbags doing?" he says, walking towards them.

"Brom, you're healed! How?" Yokote asks, a look of surprise on his face.

"How amazingly perceptive, meatsack.Sage dropped me on a healing pad. It repaired me." Brom replies.

"I...did?" Sage asks, puzzled.

"Yes, somehow. I assume that behind this door is what we came here to get?" Brom asks, reaching the door.

"Yes, but we don't have the password." Lissandra replies.

"Well, I'll take care of that." Opening up a compartment in his forearm, Brom extends a probe into the computer. Within moments, the door slides open. "There you go."

"How did you...?" Lorna asks, staring at Brom.

"I 'told' the computer that if it didn't open the door, I was going to hack it. With my Chainsawd. It complied nicely. Now, are we going to stand here until you pathetic humans rot, or are we going?"

They follow Brom into the hangar, lights appearing as they walk, illuminating their path easily.

At Resistance Headquarters, Leah and Keiko's meal is interrupted by a loud alarm. Rushing into the hallway from the cafeteria, they are nearly bowled over by Labyrinth.

"Lab, what's wrong?"

"Zionus found us."

Floating outside, Zionus appears in a flash of holy light. He casually destroys the front wall of the Headquarters, then calls out in a booming voice.

**"You who hope to resist me...prepare to be judged!"**

On Dezolis, Sage walks down a shallow ramp, leading to a long corridor. He and the others emerge into a very large, circular room, where a ring of light panels flash into life as they step into the room. The lights illuminate what appears to be a large shuttle, its smooth metallic lines gleaming in the light from the motion-activated panels.

The shuttle is perched on its landing gear, five-foot metallic legs ending in wheels. It seems poised to leap towards the sky, even after sleeping for countless years.

An ornate engraved plate above the door on the side of the ship reads "Landale." Unfortunately for the group, the door stands about ten feet off of the ground. The belly of the ship holds what looks to be a large door nestled in the middle of the landing gear, but it is sealed tight as well.

"Well, we found it. Now how do we get inside?" Yokote asks, standing back from the ship to gaze intently at it.

Sage gazes at the ship, then heads to the nearby computer terminal. After attempting a few commands, he finds it completely blocked. He sighs in frustration as the others examine the ship.

"Good question. Perhaps one of us could attempt to climb up and open the exterior door?"Lissandra offers, after looking around for an entrance.

Lorna stands, arms crossed. "This figures. They create this ship, leave it here for who knows how long, and then leave us no way to get inside. Good anti-theft device, though. Perhaps the ancients were on to something..."

"How's it going, meatbag?" Brom asks, addressing Sage, who is still working at the computer.

"Not all that well. I can't get past the opening screen on this control panel. It needs a password. Think you could work your magic again?" Sage asks, turning to Brom.

"Pathetic fleshie. Does the big, bad computer scare you? I'll hack it again." Brom heads over to the computer, extending a probe from his forearm into a port on its front as Sage walks over to the others.

He looks around for a moment, finding nothing to use as a handhold or place to step on."Hmm...I could try to levitate one of you up to the side door, if you like." Sage suggests as Brom interfaces with the computer.

Lorna laughs. "Well, if you really want to see up Lissandra's robes that badly..." Lissandra glares at her.

Sage blushes, then replies "I actually meant Yokote. He's fairly light, and agile enough to climb around."

"Very well. It's not that far of a drop. Brom, have you found anything yet?"

"Not yet. This one is a bit more stubborn. I did find out that the remote to control the entry ramp is locked inside the ship. And the side door is locked." Brom states.

"Wonderful. These people were so good at leaving help for us." Lorna says. She leans against the wall, pressing against a hidden panel. The panel beeps, startling her. She jumps away from the wall as lights on the Landale blink on.

A soft click is heard from the side door, and it recedes slightly from its frame.

"Good job, Lorna. I think that did it." Sage says.

"Yeah, the computer's babbling something to me about 'unauthorized access' or something." Brom says, typing a few commands into the keypad. "Might want to try the levitation thing."

"Ok, Yokote, you ready?" Sage asks, extending one hand palm outward and calming himself.

"Yes. Just please try not to slam me into the ceiling or anything." Yokote says, smiling.

Sage grunts in reply, staring at Yokote as he reaches out with his powers. He wraps Yokote in a telekinetic field, raising him slowly as he maneuvers him towards the door.

_Wow, I really have gotten stronger. Lifting a person used to be a strain if I had to sustain it. But this is nearly effortless now._

_"Yes, well...I am helping a bit. But a lot of it is your own strength that you were simply afraid of using." _Lutz says into his mind.

_"Eh, good point. So, you back with me now? Not going to sulk endlessly?"_

"Yes, you insolent child. I'm 'back with you'. Lorna is dangerous. I was just trying to protect you from that danger."

"Ok, well...thanks."

In the time it took for Sage and Lutz to converse mentally, Yokote was easily maneuvered to the door. He touches a panel beside the door and the door slides smoothly open. Sage gives him a slight telekinetic nudge, and he steps inside.

"Well, anything interesting?" Sage asks.

"Yes, I see a control panel. I'm lowering the ramp now." Yokote replies from inside the Landale.

Towards the middle of the ship, a slight metallic click is heard. The door in the belly of the ship opens and a boarding ramp slides out silently. It reaches the floor, settling onto it with a soft clang.

"There you go. You should be able to board now." Yokote says.

"One problem, fleshies. The 'guardian' has been summoned." Brom replies, turning from the computer and withdrawing his Chainsawd from a capsule.

Lorna and Lissandra had stepped toward the ship, but stopped as a black and grey android steps out from the shadows. His face is covered with synthetic flesh, and black hair covers the top of his head. from the top of his head. He moves with a lifelike motion, but the small humming noises coming from his servomotors reveal him to be a droid. That, and the weapon pods on his shoulders that are opened to reveal racks of missiles.

"I will not allow you to steal the Landale. State your business, or prepare to be terminated."

The group prepares for a fight as a spark of recognition fills Sage's head from his link to Lutz.

_"I'll handle this. Please relax. I'm going to manifest my image for a moment."_ Lutz says.

_"O...k. Have fun."_ Sage replies.

Sage steps toward the android, and glows with a soft white light. A ghostly image of a white-robed man with blue hair appears from his body, hovering in front of him.

**"I am Lutz. This is my chosen vessel, Jonas Sage. The others are his companions. We come in the name of the Great Light. I command you to let us pass." **

"Honored Lutz...my apologies. Please, go. I can accompany you to help you pilot the vessel, if you wish."

**"There is no need. You must maintain your vigil here, Wren. I remember how to pilot the ship, and you could teach our android friend here."**

"Very well." The android known as Wren steps toward Brom, who gazes at him warily.

"I will transfer the data directly." Reaching up, Wren places both hands on the startled Brom's head, and a green light passes from Wren to Brom.

"Well, that was fast. Thanks." Brom replies.

Wren backs away, and the manifestation of Lutz dies down.

"I wish you good fortune upon your journey, chosen of the Light."He replies as he retreats through a door on the other side of the room.

Sage and the others board the vessel, exploring it. After a cursory search, they meet in the cockpit.

"Well, seems like there is enough room for everything we may need. We can stop for supplies at the Esper Mansion." Yokote states.

Brom and Sage seat themselves at the controls as the others strap in. Hitting a button, Brom opens the hangar door, letting in the soft Dezolian light. The ship slowly rises into the night sky, then streaks towards the Esper mansion. After a flight of only a few minutes, it lands in the snow beside the Esper Mansion as dawn begins to brighten the sky.

The group heads inside to the mansion, awakening Jadrek. A brief discussion of the events ensues, then they head off to get some rest.

Later that day, the Landale is fully stocked with everything they may need, and the technicians at the Esper Mansion have ensured that all of its systems are in working order.

Sage winces as a shaft of afternoon sunlight hits him in the face. His attempt to roll over and cover his face with the pillow is stopped by Lissandra yanking the pillow away from him.

"Hey, what'd you do that for?" he asks, grumbling.

"We have a meeting. Come on, sleepy head!" Lissandra cries, dragging him from the bed. She threatens him with severe bodily harm, eventually coaxing him into consciousness. He complies, and begins to get ready.

Thirty minutes later, a slightly more awake Sage heads downstairs to the meeting room, where Jadrek, the Elders and his companions are clustered around a display.

"What's going on?" he asks, yawning.

"We have located the planet Rykros. Your companion Lorna was in possession of the Aero Prism, and it allowed us to pinpoint Rykros' location. You must go there to retrieve the Rings of Stars." Jadrek answers him.

"Ok. Anything else we need to know...?"

"Rykros is a dangerous place. It is filled with ancient monsters, and the rings are located inside three towers filled with traps and trials. They will test you to your utmost limits of strength, resolve and skill..."

"So...not a prime vacation spot, huh?" Lorna quips.

"Not...quite." Jadrek replies, a bit flustered. Lorna is still wearing only her Laconium bikini, and has gotten quite a few odd stares from the Espers.

"Well, as long as we get to kill stuff, I'm in." Brom pipes up.

"Should be fun." Lorna says.

Lissandra and Yokote chime in with their willingness to go, as Sage stretches and yawns again.

"Sure...why not? Can't be worse than what we've already been through. Mornings are evil." Sage says sleepily.

Lissandra looks around for something to throw at him. "Sage...it's mid-afternoon." 

"Morning is relative. Whenever you wake up, that's considered morning. Anyway...ready to go, everyone?"

They reply in the affirmative and gather their gear, heading for the Landale. They are met outside by a party of Espers who see them off.

Ten minutes later, they are in the atmosphere above Dezolis, as the AeroPrism begins to shine. They lock the navigational sensors onto its beam and set a course for Rykros.


	10. Strands of Light Converging

Zionus hovers outside the Resistance Headquarters, glowing with divine power.

**"You who hope to resist me...prepare to be judged!"**

Labyrinth, Keiko and Leah are standing outside the cafeteria, as alarms begin to sound. A massive shockwave rocks the base, throwing the trio around. Keiko falls to the floor, as Leah is barely caught by Lab.

"What was that?"

"Zionus is attacking. We must go. I don't think we can hold him off that long, but we must try. There are wounded, children and non-combatants here." Labyrinth says, heading towards the sound of the alarms.

Keiko and Leah run to catch the rapidly-moving android.

"We're with you, Lab." Leah says, a determined look on her face.

"Yeah!" Keiko says, drawing her katana. Troops can be seen in the distance, as the Resistance's on-duty guards head out to face Zionus. As the trio runs, JiEin and Elly round a corner.

"Lab! What's going on?" Elly asks, breathlessly.

"It's Zionus. He's here." Lab replies, his forward momentum not slowing in the least.

"Oh no...what are we going to do?" Elly asks, as JiEin falls into step behind the group.

"Elly, go get X, Ayame and the Dreamchasers. Get them out of here, if you can. They are too wounded to fight." Lab snaps, increasing his speed.

"Ok. Please, be careful." Elly replies, as she begins to run towards the back of the base.

The three are in the front portion of the base, seeing a recovered Lucca brandishing a Red Scorpio and issuing orders.

"Lucca, good to see you again." Leah says, as the group approaches the swirling chaos of the troops.

"Yeah. Too bad this is probably the last time." The Ramarl says, checking the charge on her weapon.

"What's the situation?" Lab asks, as a bright flash of light is seen about fifty feet away.

"The first squad has engaged him. He's put up a barrier. Nothing can get in or out. He's...toying with them. He's so cruel." Lucca says, a look of horror on his face.

Keiko turns, watching as a soldier in a Resistance uniform rushes towards the faintly glowing white barrier outside the gaping hole in the wall. He runs straight into it, impacting it and being stopped cold as a jolt of white energy leaps from the barrier, coursing through his body. The man screams in agony as his smoking form is flung backwards about twenty feet. He slams into a pile of rubble and lays still.

"Impenetrable barrier, eh?" JiEin remarks stoically, as two medics rush to attend to the injured man.

"Yes. He brought it up, I expect he will drop it when he's done playing." Lucca states.

"Ok. How are we on weapons?" Labyrinth asks, training his sensors on the interior of the barrier.

"Nyreal's group was able to stea- ahem, acquire a large amount of weapons and armor from several bases loyal to Zionus. Not the highest quality, but considering that they had a small amount to work with, they did very well. They are going around now rounding up the auxilliary troops." Lucca reports, turning her gaze to the barrier.

Inside, five troops stand in brave defiance of Zionus. Two clutch Wals rifles, firing away at the approaching deity. The other three hold replicas of the famous DB's Saber model used by the military. The bodies of their comrades litter the ground, most horribly charred or otherwise mangled.

Of the group of twenty that headed out to face Zionus when he attacked, five were cut down by his first attack, an energy sphere that detonated at the feet of the charging riflemen, incinerating them instantaneously.

The next to die were a mixed group of swordsmen and riflemen. These three were smarter, spreading out to make a smaller target as they blasted away. The two swordsmen charged, swinging viciously, only to be cut in half by a swipe from Zionus' energy sword. The three riflemen died to searing beams of light that swept across them. One died gurgling with a hole in his chest, the other screamed as the beam cleaved his torso in half, and the third tried to duck, the beam piercing his skull.

**"Pathetic fools...is this the best you have to offer?"** Zionus says, raising both hands and firing a swarm of homing energy orbs. They impact with the remaining soldiers, exploding into searing domes of energy. Their deaths are mercifully quick. Zionus dispels his barrier, then rises slightly.

Motioning to Labyrinth and the others, he beckons them to him. **"Cease your cowering, and face me. You wish to oppose my might? Then be judged." **Zionus says, firing off a massive beam of energy at Labyrinth.

Labyrinth's shield kicks in, barely able to block the attack as JiEin shoves Leah and Keiko out of the way. As they recover, JiEin draws his Ji Sword and hurtles at Zionus in a mad rush.

"Your reign of terror ends here!" JiEin says, stepping across the faintly glowing white circle. As he crosses it, a slight motion of Zionus' hand causes the dome of energy to spring up again, trapping JiEin inside.

"JiEin, no! You can't face him alone..." Leah says, as Lucca fires a Red Scorpio blast at the barrier. It strikes, fizzling out in a spray of red sparks.

Inside the circle, JiEin faces the mad deity, raising his Ji Sword above his head. Zionus simply laughs, lowering slightly as he crosses his arms in contempt.

JiEin braces himself, then leaps at the mad god with a vicious two-handed swing.

Elsewhere, on the Landale...

Sage and Brom are flying the shuttle, as the world around Sage suddenly spins.

"Brom...please take over. Something is very, very wrong on Ragol." Sage says, unstrapping from his copilot's seat and heading back towards the passenger area.

"Sure, fleshbag. I'll be sure to pilot us into a comet or something."

Sage staggers back to the passenger area, his head on fire.

_Lutz...what's wrong?_

Zionus is using his full power. He's found the Resistance's base. X, Ayame and the others are all there.

Oh no...

Lissandra may be able to assist you in sending a message that far. You are not at full capacity right now, and I am drained as well. You must tell them to retreat. They do not stand a chance against him at this point. 

Lissandra meets Sage in the corridor, alerted by the turmoil in his mind.

"Sage, what is it?"

"Zionus has found the Resistance's headquarters. He's attacking."

"Not now. We are so close..." Lissandra says, as Yokote and Lorna emerge from the galley.

"What's wrong?" Yokote asks.

"Zionus is on Pioneer 2, and on a rampage. Liss and I are going to try and contact the Resistance. Yokote, could you please go help Brom?

Yokote heads to the cockpit as Lissandra and Sage go into the sleeping area. Lorna follows, a curious look on her face.

"Is this a private party, or can I join...?" she asks, sitting down beside Sage.

"We're going to try to boost a message to Pioneer 2, telepathically." Sage replies, slumping against the wall as a wave of pain stabs through his skull.

"Why can't we just use the communicators on this rust bucket?" Lorna asks.

"We're out of range. We are at the outer edge of the solar system at the moment." Lissandra replies.

"Oh, that's convenient. What should I do?"

"Sit back, and if we start turning any funny colors, use your healing powers please." Sage says, settling into a meditative stance that Lissandra quickly mirrors.

"Alright. Have fun..."

_"Lissandra, have you ever linked mind-to-mind before?"_

"A few times. Mainly with the elders. I know how to send my energy to you, but I can't find anyone on Ragol. At this distance...it would have to be someone I know well."

"That's alright. Just...link with me, and keep me from turning my skull inside out. I know who to contact."

The two reach out with their powers, Lissandra stretching out a tendril of thought as Sage drops most of his barriers. Their minds synchronize, a sudden wave of disorientation washing over them. When they recover, Sage uses Lissandra's power to boost his telepathic range, reaching for the familiar presence of Nova.

Inside Zionus' barrier, JiEin leaps at the mad god with a vicious two-handed swing. Zionus simply hovers in mid-air, motionless, as the Ji Sword impacts an invisible energy barrier around his body. The photon blade of the weapon sends off a shower of sparks as it is deflected, the violent rebound of the blade nearly ripping it from JiEin's grasp. A spark of power shoots from the barrier, hitting JiEin and causing a bright flash as he is pushed back. He hits the ground, momentarily stunned, as Zionus begins to laugh.

**"You fool. You honestly think to challenge me? I will end your pathetic farce of an existence now!"** Zionus extends one hand outwards, gathering power into a coalescing orb of glowing energy. With a flick of his wrist, the destructive orb is sent towards the recovering JiEin. When it touches him, it explodes, inundating him with a geyser of rippling energy. His circuits nearly overload his processor with damage reports. As he slumps to the ground, his body plating is faintly glowing with the destructive force it has endured. Tiny wisps of smoke rise from his body. His joints creak and strain as he gets to his feet.

"I'm not going to let you win. There is too much at stake. No one should be able to arbitrarily decide the fates of others. Not even one who thinks he is a god." JiEin staggers to his feet, raising the Ji Sword. _This is it. If I don't use my full power, I'm going to die. If I fall...there are many others that will follow. The shield he has up will shield Resistance Headquarters from the blast. Time to show him what the Ji Sword can really do..._

JiEin braces himself, taking a wide-legged stance as he holds the Ji Sword out from him at arm's length. His chest plating opens, and the generator for the Transcending Heat Blazer begins to glow a bright red. The Ji Sword flashes, reflecting the glow. JiEin's frame begins to spark with red lightning as the generator puts off more and more power. A wave of heat rushes off of JiEin as the Ji Sword flares with a searing red light. Red energy streams off the blade, growing into a massive red blade of pure energy, triple the size of the normal Ji Sword. It solidifies, the flaring energy settling down to a seething aura of power around the Ji Sword's true form.

He twists his wrists, bringing the weapon to rest over his left shoulder as he rushes at Zionus. Zionus stands, bracing himself as JiEin leaps into the air. **_This fool thinks he can harm me. I'm not going to even bother putting up a barrier this time. He's not worth the energy._**

JiEin swings the Ji Sword at the apex of his jump, sending off a crescent of red energy that collides with Zionus, resulting in a bright flash of released heat. Zionus, who neglected to put up his barrier, is momentarily blinded by the flash, and when his vision clears he is hit with a brutal two-handed vertical swing from the full-power Ji Sword. The gleaming red blade impacts the shield he hastily throws up, singing his skin lightly as it is pushed away. The barrier kept it from cleaving the mad god in half, but the force of the blow sends him plummeting towards the ground.

JiEin descends from his leap, going into a powerful series of two-handed swings. They impact Zionus' barrier, taking a bit more energy to block each time. Zionus reels under the powerful attacks as JiEin continues his assault, caught off-guard by the furious strikes. He begins to feel pain as the energy required to hold off the attacks grows with each swing. The heat flowing off the weapon seeps through the weakening barrier more and more easily with each attack, draining Zionus and adding to the strain he is under.

**_How...can he be giving off this much power? He's actually damaging me slightly. I'm a god. I will not allow this mortal to continue this insolence!_** Zionus thinks, as he raises his arms in an attempt to fend off the blows. He sends power to his shield, but the shock it gives off is absorbed by the Ji Sword, adding to its destructive force. JiEin kicks him in the chin, his leg piercing a weak point in the barrier and striking Zionus in the face as he leaps into the air. At the top of his leap, he feeds all the power from his internal systems into the Ji Sword, rigging all of his traps to go off at the second of impact.

_This is it. The ultimate attack of the Kaiser Style. Giving off this much power is going to shut me down. I hope it's enough. Hmm. I might try screaming like an anime fanboy, like X. It seems to work for him..._

"Blazing Fury!" JiEin cries as his energy pours into the Ji Sword, forming an orb of heat energy at the tip as he delivers a powerful swing to Zionus. As he contacts the barrier, the blade surges with power as Zionus holds up an arm to block it. Every servomotor in JiEin's body is strained to the utmost as he presses his attack, and for a split-second he pierces the barrier, the Ji Sword touching Zionus' arm and burning it.

At the instant contact occurs, JiEin releases the power, letting it build to a near-cataclysmic explosion. A red dome of energy appears inside Zionus' arcane circle, tearing up the street and forming a large crater as the bodies of the Resistance soldiers that had fallen are incinerated. A shockwave comes off the sword as JiEin's generator is overloaded. The last thing he manages to do is release all of his damage traps at once, the multiple explosions strengthened by the blast wave of the Blazing Fury attack.

The blade of the Ji Sword melts, crumpling inward upon itself as it is burned out. The command JiEin had inputted to go off at system shutdown is activated, and the locks on the Transcending Heat Blazer are released. A gigantic red beam of pure heat shoots from JiEin's frame, impacting the rapidly expanding explosion from the Blazing Fury and causing a chain-reaction. The combined destructive force of the two attacks creates an even larger blast, obscuring all inside Zionus' barrier from view.

Outside the barrier, Lab and the other Resistance members look on in shock as JiEin's final attack fades.

On board the Landale, Lorna watches as Sage and Lissandra both seem to tremble slightly. She reaches over to shake them, then thinks better of it. As she leans back, crossing her arms over her chest, Brom calls from the cockpit.

"We should arrive at Rykros within the next thirty minutes or so. Is that lazy fleshbag dead, or am I doomed to be disappointed?"

"He and Lissandra are doing some funny telepathic thing. He wanted me to not join, and instead watch out for them, so I think it might be rather important. I can't get through the barrier they have set up."

"Alright. Just let us know if anything changes, please." Yokote calls from the copilot's seat.

Inside the telepathic link Sage and Lissandra have created, they see visions of Zionus' battle with JiEin.

_"He's very brave, but...I don't think it will be enough." Lissandra says._

"I think you're right. But at the very least it will tarnish Zionus' feelings of invincibility. I'm glad we were able to distract him. He's not able to defend fully against both a psychic and a physical attack. He hasn't tapped into enough power yet." Sage replies.

"What should we do now?"

"We've already warned them. All we can do now is wait for another opening to attack, and hope he doesn't wise up to what we are doing."

"Alright, Sage. I hope this works..."

"Me too."

Outside Resistance Headquarters, the glow fades inside Zionus' barrier. The barrier seems to flicker, showing transparent spots of total weakness. Labyrinth engages his shield and rushes past, followed by Leah, Keiko, Lucca and a few soldiers.

Zionus gets to his feet, flaring with white energy as a few drops of blood flow from his nose. He reaches up absentmindedly and wipes them away, then gazes down as his burnt clothing. He glares at the crumpled, smoking form of JiEin, then turns to look at the new arrivals as he reestablishes his barrier.

**"Your companion did well, considering his weakness. I will grant him a mercifully quick death for that. You will not be so fortunate."**

Labyrinth and Lucca raise their weapons and begin blasting away at Zionus, whose barrier absorbs their shots easily. NUG bazooka shells and Red Scorpio blasts slam into the barrier, dissipating on contact with a mere flash of energy. Zionus laughs, firing off a beam of energy at Lucca. Lab steps in the path of the beam, activating his shielding units to absorb the destructive force. His body rocks with the force of impact, the shields glowing a bright green as the power from the blast is shunted away.

**"Brave, android. But as foolish as you ever were. I tire of these games."** Zionus lowers to the ground, then begins charging energy with his outstretched hands. The soldiers grab JiEin's frame and dash to the edge of the barrier, as per Lab's orders. Keiko and Leah draw their weapons and rush towards Zionus as Lucca fires away with her Red Scorpio. Labyrinth activates the boot-up sequence for his Omega Cannon as Leah and Keiko unleash a coordinated attack on Zionus.

Leah dashes low to the ground, striking with her sword at Zionus' side. The blow is deflected by his barrier, and a jolt of energy makes her arm go completely numb as she is sent flying by the force of the shock. Keiko leaps at Zionus in a two-handed strike, but is caught by surprise as he turns the beam he was charging on her. He raises his hands, grinning sadistically as he blasts her from the sky. The searing beam pushes her up to the top of the barrier, then sends her groaning, scorched form to the ground. She moans in pain, then lies still.

Leah grips her sword in the other hand, but her second attack on Zionus is caught by the mad deity, grabbing the blade with one bare hand. He fires an orb of white energy at Leah, who flies back into a pile of debris and gets knocked unconscious as the orb explodes.

On the Landale, Sage and Lissandra are beginning to show signs of strain.

_"Sage...how long do you think we'll be able to keep him from killing them?"_

"I'm not sure. We aren't actually stopping him now. He's too strong to control, or even directly effect. All we can do is puff up his feelings of arrogance and try to get him to think they are 'beneath' him."

"I suppose you are right. Hopefully we'll get an opening soon to do more." 

On Pioneer, Labyrinth finishes charging his Omega Cannon and opens fire on the stationary Zionus. The bright blue beam streaks from his center of mass, but is calmly deflected by a bored-looking Zionus with one hand. He stands there as the killing energy cascades away from his hand, deflected by an unseen shield.

**"Fool, I am a god! How do you possibly hope to harm me...?"**

"The same way I'm going to try and kill you. With this!" Labyrinth says, as he pours all of the energy from his systems into the Omega Cannon. The beam strobes for a moment, then triples in size. A white flare of energy comes off Zionus' hand as he negligently blocks the beam. Labyrinth's legs begin to buckle as his generator is overtaxed.

Lucca replaces her Red Scorpio in its capsule, then dashes to Leah's side, Moon Atomizer at the ready. She is intercepted halfway there by an energy blast from Zionus that detonates at her feet, sending her flying. She lies still as she hits the ground.

Labyrinth's Omega Cannon dissipates a few seconds later, as his main generator is completely drained. He slumps to the ground, his chest-plate closing as his automatic overrides shut him down for a recharge.

**"Fools! Weaklings! Is there none who can challenge me here...?"** Zionus says as he takes to the air. He forms a massive sphere of white energy in his palm, raising it over his head as a sorcerous wind crackles and swirls around him. He dispells the barrier, allowing the frightened soldiers to clear out with JiEin's frame seconds before his attack hits. In the wake of the explosion, he senses a familiar presence nearby.

**_X, I have you. You cannot escape me..._** he thinks, as he flies into Resistance Headquarters through the gaping hole he blew in the front wall earlier.

Inside the base, soldiers and the few remaining non-combatants scatter as Zionus flies through, firing off energy blasts. He blasts a hole through the back wall, emerging from a cloud of debris on the other side of the base. Elly, X, Neifirst, Ayame and the Dreamchasers are headed towards the nearby transporter. They stop cold as Zionus obliterates the warp pad with an overhand energy blast.

X, Ayame, Neifirst and the Dreamchasers spread out as Zionus hovers near them. Neifirst rushes at the mad god as Ayame casts Resta on the assembled group, healing them of the wounds they sustained in battle with Sigma. One level 50 Shifta and Deband combo later, and X is almost feeling like his normal self again.

"Let's go, everyone!" Ayame says, firing off a Foie at Zionus' face. Neifirst leaps at Zionus, brandishing her Meteor Cudgel. The weapon strikes his barrier, resounding off with a spark of energy as Ayame's Foie impacts the spot where it hit, causing it to pulse brightly.

**"Die, pathetic insects!"** Zionus says, firing a beam of energy at the assembled group. Nova dives to the side, drawing his Yasminkovs and rattling off shots. Axios blocks with his Rokujou as an explosion ensues. Kiara leaps into the air, vanishing in a cloud of smoke. She reappears above Zionus, diving towards him with her Kamuis out as Neifirst continues her assault.

The two Newmen's weapons hit his barrier, bringing a flash of energy as they strike. They are repelled, but a burst of gunfire sparks in Zionus' face as he prepares another attack. The glare caused by his own barrier throws off his aim, and the killing beam he had aimed at X was deflected into a nearby building.

Axios and Ayame begin chain-casting techniques at the mad god, as Nova, Kiara and Neifirst coordinate their attacks. None of the hits do more than scratch his barrier, but the glare thrown off by the sparkling shield keeps him in a near-permanent state of blindness. He flies around, firing off energy blasts that are easily dodged as his anger grows.

X braces himself, drawing on the power of his depleted conduit. Black lightning begins to spark around him as he struggles to fight past the pervasive weakness. _If they can keep him busy for a little bit, I might be able to manifest my conduit. I'm not sure how much damage it'll do, but a Demon Roar is one of the strongest attacks we have at this point._

Ayame feels an unfamiliar energy field emanating from somewhere near her, and something deep within her soul pulses with a responding power. _Why...does that feel so familiar?_ She redoubles her efforts, seeing X attempting to manifest his conduit. _Uncle X is doing that wing thing again. I have to give him time to pull it off._

Ayame casts a Rafoie at Zionus' face, as Axios fires off a Gibarta. The ice shards are vaporized as the hit Zionus by Ayame's spell, but the resulting steam obscures him from view. Nova, Kiara and Neifirst continue their assault, keeping Zionus busy. The ground begins to shake as the black lightning around X grows in intensity.

**_He's drawing on his conduit power. These fools think they can distract me. Their pathetic ruse is over!_**

Zionus gathers energy in a sinuous field around him, then sends out a massive shockwave that hurls Neifirst and Kiara into the surrounding buildings with incredible force. He hurls an energy bomb at Nova which detonates at his feet, launching the Ranger into the air. When he lands, he is still and unmoving. With the glare from his shield diminished, Zionus fires off a beam of white energy at Axios, knocking him backwards with a burnt hole in his robes. He slumps to the ground as he loses consciousness, the searing pain in his chest precluding any attempt at a Resta.

Ayame rushes over to heal her teammates, but is stopped by a white orb of energy that detonates at her feet.

**"I'm going to enjoy killing you, little girl. You've been too much of a nuisance to me. But first..."** Zionus gathers power, manifesting his gleaming white energy blade. He laughs evilly as he swoops towards X, raising his weapon for a killing strike.

On the Landale, Sage and Lissandra link their powers fully, struggling to break through the new barrier that Zionus has put up.

_"Sage...he's on to us."_

"Yes, I know. We need to combine our efforts, and try to punch through it completely. X is about to unleash his conduit. That can keep Zionus occupied."

"What are we going to do?"

"Try to disable him, somehow. Simply distracting him obviously isn't enough anymore."

"Alright, Sage. Lead on."

Zionus plunges towards X, who is fairly pulsing with dark power at the moment. The mad god raises his gleaming sword, ready to strike down his foe. At the last second, a single black wing pops from X's back. He screams in agony as he pushes his body to the limit of what it can handle, but the wave of energy that flows off him hits Zionus, stunning him briefly and stopping his headlong charge.

"Well Zio...it's been a while. Last time we met like this, you died. That must be why you are so afraid of me now." X says as sparks of black lightning leap from his body at random intervals. He takes to the air, charging a Demon Roar as Zionus stands, stunned.

**"I drained your power! You shouldn't be able to use your conduit! Why won't you just die...!"** Zionus says, a note of something very near panic in his voice.

"Aww, what's the matter? Is the big bad 'god' afraid of me? This power is your bane, huh? Abusing the power of the Great Light, with a soul that's dark and twisted. Let's show you what true darkness is..." X says, bringing his palms together and charging a Demon Roar. He fires, the black halo screaming towards Zionus. With a look of panic on his face, Zionus brings his hands up to block the attack. His hands glow with a bright flare of energy as he intercepts the attack, and he is pushed back slightly.

X smiles and begins to charge another attack. As Zionus is distracted, Ayame casts her Dark Curse technique, the arcane symbol forming around Zionus. He feels his barrier weaken, and looks in shock at Ayame.

**"Girl...die!"** Zionus says, diving towards Ayame. At the last second, his gleaming sword is interrupted by X's crossed arms. X flares with dark power, his hands burning with a black flame as he deflects Zionus' attack.

"You can beat me up all you like. But lay one hand on my niece and I **will** kill you." X says, a look of rage steeling his face.

Zionus smirks and fires a massive beam of energy at X, who at the point blank range is unable to block it. He struggles to hold back the attack, intercepting it from hitting Ayame. His conduit gives out as his power wanes, leaving him unprotected. His body is consumed with a white light, and when it fades his wing is gone.

He slumps to the ground, his conduit unable to sustain itself any longer. Breathing heavily, he gets to his feet, wobbling a bit from exhaustion. He stands in front of Ayame protectively, guarding her with his body.

Zionus moves to attack, but his sword thrust is intercepted by X. The shining blade penetrates X's guard easily, coming out his back. X staggers, gasping as a sizzling hole appears in his torso.

"Uncle X, no!" Ayame screams, frantically casting a Resta technique.

Zionus begins to laugh as Ayame lunges forward, catching her uncle as he is unable to hold himself up any longer. She supports him in her arms, the weight of his body pushing them to the ground. She kneels beside him as he begins to cough up blood.

"Ayame...I'm sorry. I couldn't stop him. My conduit gave out all of a sudden. You have to get away."

"Uncle, I'm not going to leave you. Please, hang on..." Ayame says, tears streaming down her face as her healing technique seems to have no effect.

X's head lolls back, his body going limp as his breathing becomes more and more shallow. Ayame gently lowers him to the ground, standing with a look of pure rage on her face. When a Reverser attempt and two more Resta seem to have no effect, she appears to give up.

**"Hahahaha. You little fool. He is so suffused with the power of Darkness that your feeble healing will have no effect on him. Watch your Uncle die, girl." **

Ayame shudders with rage, and when she speaks, her voice is infused with a dark anger.

"I'm...going to kill you. You don't deserve to live. You've hurt everyone you've ever met, and I'm going to put a stop to it." Ayame says, a purple aura glowing around her. She shimmers with light as something locked within her soul is released.

_"Hmm...the kid gave up control. But the mediator took over this time. Weird." Danielle thinks. She feels Ayame's half of the conduit open up for the first time, and is taken aback at the power it holds. "Wow, kid. When you get mad, you get really mad. This should be fun to watch."_

Danielle is surprised by the appearance of the older Ayame. She speaks, quaking with rage.

"I need your power. Please help me."

"Alright! About time kiddo. Let's kick this guy's ass." Danielle says, feeling a savage joy at the rage her other half is finally releasing. 

Ayame's hair begins to be tossed around wildly, as a searing wind blows through the space between the buildings. Debris from the battle begins to shake, and sparks of power come off of her body every few seconds.

Purple lightning crackles around her as she gives in to her rage, feeling a delightful power surge through her. A bright flash of energy ensues, and she screams as her power is loosed. A massive storm of dark energy rushes through the alley, blowing debris here and there.

Zionus stands, gaping in amazement as Ayame glows with power. A single wing juts from her back, ethereal purple feathers falling from it. She takes to the air and begins chanting as an arcane black circle appears around the dying X.

**"Darkness, heed my call. Return your warrior to the battlefield. I offer you my power. Feed upon it, and break the bonds between this world and the next."** Ayame says, in a voice as ageless as the cosmos.

A shadow appears in the center of the circle surrounding X, spreading quickly. It seems to suck in all the available light, and wisps of power are drawn from Zionus' shield. The glowing orbs are pulled to the spreading shadow, then redirected towards X's prone body.

**"No, what are you doing...? Stop!"** Zionus says, as he begins to fire off energy blasts at Ayame. They are drawn in by the shadow in the center of the circle around X, and are converted into a glow that spreads to the fallen hero's body.

"I'm using your power to fuel my Reverser. You tried to kill him, now you get to provide the power to heal him. Then, you get to die. Hope you enjoy it." Ayame says, her hands moving in a complex pattern as she weaves the powerful spell.

A dull black glow sparkles around him, and the familiar energy signal of a Reverser technique appears above his body. He gasps, sucking in air as his body is healed, the sizzling wound in his chest rapidly closing. A pulse of black energy surges from beneath him, and his body is raised into the air, his back arching as a single black wing shoots from his back.

He is flipped in mid-air, and lands easily on the ground, kneeling with one hand bracing himself. His hair falls over his face as his body glows with power. The arcane circle slowly dissipates, shattering into black shards that disappear before they hit the ground.

X slowly gets to his feet, his eyes burning with rage. He throws his head back, brushing his hair out of his eyes with one hand.

"Well, Ayame. Looks like you figured out how to use your power. I'm very proud of you." X says, hovering over to float beside his niece, his single black wing holding him aloft.

"Thank you, Uncle. Now let's end his rampage."

"Sounds good by me. Whatever you did...I can use my conduit again."

"Thank him. I stole his power to do it." Ayame says, grinning evilly. The single purple wing on the right side of her back flutters slightly as she lines up with X. When they approach each other, the swirling auras around them double in size, their conduits feeding off of each other.

Zionus hovers, seething with rage. **"How many times do I have to kill you!" **he cries, firing an enormous energy blast at the pair. Ayame raises her right hand as X raises his left, and a purple and black shield appears around them, easily deflecting the blast.

"Uncle...if I kill him before you do, will you buy the ice cream?"

"You're on. Race ya to it, kiddo." X replies, a smirk on his face.

The two rush towards their divine enemy, firing off a flurry of Demon Roars. The assault of black energy halos produces a massive explosion, and Zionus screams in pain for the first time as the dark energy easily pierces his barrier.

He counter-attacks, firing a two-handed beam of white light at them. It hits their shield and stops, cascading off the barrier in a waterfall of destructive force.

The two fly upwards, spiraling around each other like two fireflies, dark energy swirling around them. When they reach the apex of their flight, they split off, warping towards Zionus in identical flashes of energy.

X appears behind him, pointing two fingers between his shoulder blades as he fires a tightly coiled 'beam' of compressed Demon Roars. "Shinkuu Majinken!" The beam hits Zionus, and manages to pierce his body before it is stopped by a redoubled barrier.

Ayame warps in front of the mad god, raising both hands and forming an aura of purple energy around her. Purple Demon Roars appear, floating up to gather in a loose cloud in front of her. When about fifty or sixty of them have appeared, she looses them on her target, directing them as a conducter manages an orchestra. "Demonic Symphony!" 

The flurry of Demon Roars slams into Zionus, pummeling him over and over again. He reels as his defenses are nearly destroyed, and is consumed within a cloud of smoke and released energy.

The two conduits for Darkness press their attack, their combined powers doing exponentially more damage than one could do alone. Zionus screams as his body is wracked with agony.

On the Astral Plane, Sage and Lissandra's mental selves appear, watching the battle between Zionus and the two conduits.

_"Sage...if he uses a powerful attack, we'll probably be fried if he directs it at us."_

"Yes, but the desperation he's going through is going to push him to use a higher level of power. They are hurting him, but it's nothing he won't be able to shrug off. We have to help them."

Zionus reels under the combined attacks of X and Ayame, caught by surprise as they pour their full power into the fight. In his arrogance, he neglected to put up a full shield. He is pummelled with continuous Demon Roars, and falls to the ground, a cloud of smoke beginning to billow off of his body as the combined explosions create a large screen of smoke.

**_I am a god. How can these pathetic fools be doing this? I will not allow it!_** Drawing on the divine essence of the Great Light, he warps reality around himself, instantly transporting away from the spot where they are attacking him. He regroups as they continue to blast the ground, his movement too fast for them to detect. He draws more power, healing the minor wounds he had sustained and setting up a stronger barrier. He resolves to not underestimate them again.

He takes to the air, forming an enormous ball of light in front of him as they fire off volley after volley of Demon Roar at the spot he had recently vacated.

**"Imbeciles. You have created a fine display of dust, but if you wish to harm me you may want to start with actually aiming at me."** He says, smirking as he prepares to blast them to atoms.

"Uncle...how did he get away so quickly?" Ayame asks, whirling as she fires a Demon Roar at Zionus.

"I'm not sure. Let's make sure it doesn't happen again." X says, firing off his own attack. The two energy halos scream towards the mad god, impacting his renewed shield with no effect.

**"Hahahahaha! Bow to me, and accept the punishment for your insolence." **Zionus says, sending the massive orb of white light hurtling towards the hovering conduits. They scatter as the deadly attack flies towards them, peeling off in opposite directions as it obliterates a nearby building. With distance, the energizing effect each has on the other is diminished. 

Zionus targets where they are going, moving faster than their still-human reactions can see. He tracks and fires, sending a searing beam of energy from each outstretched hand, striking them in mid-flight. They cry out in agony almost simultaneously, the deadly beam knocking each of them from the sky.

X lands on a building, bruised and battered. The beam hit him in his wing, leaving a smoking, steaming hole. The feathers seem faded around the wound, and he is unable to take flight again. Before he can even get to his feet, he is surprised by the enraged Zionus, who warps over to him and begins battering him with vicious punches and kicks.

The mad god hits him with an elbow to the chest, then uppercuts him into the air, flying lightly up and hitting him with a two-kick combo before grabbing him by the leg and slamming him into the top of the building. As X lies there, stunned, Zionus flies up and fires a volley of small white energy orbs, which impact and explode, building to a chain reaction that sends X falling through the caved-in ceiling of the building. One more energy blast collapses the building nearly on top of him, but his unconscious body is saved from being crushed by two walls that fall together, sheltering him in a "V".

Ayame slowly gets to her feet, her new wing throbbing with pain. She looks over in time to see Zionus nearly collapse the building on X. Before she can react, she is clotheslined by Zionus, who hits her hard across the chest with an outstretched arm as he flies over to her. She staggers backwards, but is hit with a kick to the temple that knocks her to the ground.

_He's so fast...where's he getting all this power from?_ she thinks, as she is hit with several power-packed punches. She reels as the world around her begins to swim, unable to defend herself from his furious assault.

On the Landale, Sage and Lissandra watch with growing concern.

_"He's using more of the power available to him. They had a brief window when they had him on the ropes, when he wasn't quite sure what he was capable of. But now...he's beginning to realize what 'god-like' power really means."_

"What can we do? He seems to have redoubled his shield." Lissandra says, a worried tone in her mental voice.

"He has. But...he seems to have configured it more towards conventional physical attack. If we had a distraction, our combined psychic powers could do some damage." Sage replies.

"Only two problems with that. One...our distraction is being beaten to a bloody pulp. Two...if he gets angry enough to take notice of us, we're dead. He's much stronger than even the two of us working together. He could fry our minds like an egg if he noticed us and decided to actually try."

"That's just a chance we have to take. Getting the Rings of Stars will do no good if we have no one that can use them." Sage says, calming himself as he begins to gather power.

"I suppose you're right. Let's get this over with..." Lissandra states, synchronizing with Sage and beginning to focus her thoughts. "Are we just going to try and blindside him with a spike of power, or are we going to try to manipulate him?"

"Spike. With some judicious manipulation, assuming we get past his shields."

Nyreal is leading a group of soldiers through Resistance Headquarters, dashing around piles of debris. His men ready their weapons as they struggle to keep up with their rapidly moving commander.

"Keep moving! Zionus went this way. We need to take him down once and for all."

They come to the hole that Zionus blew in the back wall of the building, and quickly pass through it.

Sage and Lissandra watch, refraining from making contact with Zionus' mind again, as his entire attention could be on them.

_"We...may have another distraction coming. A group of soldiers is being rallied to go after Zionus. The poor fools... I hope they can stay alive."_

"Zionus seems to have gotten a major power boost. Or he's tapping into more of his available power."

"I think it's the second one. Regardless...I still don't think he's capable of holding off two different attacks at once. Not if one's a psychic attack. His connection to the Great Light is based in large part on his mind. If confronted with something that can hit him there, he will overreact trying to protect it. Leaving him fairly open to be physically hurt, which will make him angry and distract him. That's our chance." Sage says to Lissandra, as he sends a minuscule tendril of thought out to test Zionus' shields.

"This group seems to be better armed." Liss states.

"Let's hope it's enough." They brace themselves for the attack, as they sense Nyreal's group encountering Zionus. 

**"More fodder? You aren't worth my time." **Zionus says, as he unleashes a blast of energy at the first group of Nyreal's troopers to approach him. The white energy beam strikes the ground, sending a cloud of smoke upwards. When it clears, the soldiers are still alive.

"Looks like that shielding the hacker guy came up with works pretty well," one of the front troopers says as he dives behind a pile of debris. A companion follows him, as they set up their NUG Bazooka.

"Yeah, but he was barely even straining, and it fried the shield." His fellow soldier states, as she withdraws the shells from her pack.

The scattered soldiers are soon joined by the remainder of their troop, as their commander strides confidently through the gaping hole in the building.

"Well, you must be Zionus. Is the funky light show compensation for something, or are you just trying to hide your ugly face?" Nyreal says, brushing purple hair away from his headband. He grins, then draws a shining sword.

**"Impudent mortal. How dare you question a god?"** Zionus says, as he fires a two-handed blast at Nyreal. Or rather, the spot where Nyreal used to be. The black-robed Fomar leaped aside, covering his escape with a miniature Rafoie blast as he jumps to the top of a low building nearby.

"Same way I ask anyone else I'm about to beat down." Nyreal says, pointing his sword at Zionus. With a slight flick of his wrist, his troops are given the signal to open fire. A furious cacophony of NUG Bazooka and Guilty Light shots ensues, the alternating physical and photon shells streaking towards their target.

As the showy blast of NUG explosions and Guilty Light flares rains on Zionus, ten specially picked sharpshooters from Nyreal's squad raise their weapons and take careful aim. When they had been presented with the specially modified Geist Rifles by the man known as Athrun, they had been skeptical. But Nyreal had simply smiled and confirmed his wish.

When he had debuted the ten pairs of heavily modified Spirit Mechguns, they had questioned him even more. The strange backpack that the weapons were affixed to was even more puzzling, but their commander had earned their trust. As their comrades provided covering fire, they began to drain the mad god of his energy, one shot at a time. With all the interference on his shielding, he likely wouldn't notice until it was too late.

_"The kid has the right idea. Even those special guns his squad is using won't be enough, but he's on the right track." Sage thinks, the telepathic equivalent of mumbling to himself._

"Hmm? Did you say something, Sage?" Lissandra asks.

"Nyreal's group is planning to drain Zionus of his energy with Technique-energy draining weapons. It's a good plan, and it will weaken him slightly. The main thing is that it will unnerve him. Then, we strike. Get ready, Liss."

"Alright. Frontal attack, then?"

"Yes." Sage replies, making contact with Zionus' mind. As the mad god is distracted, it is easy to penetrate his defenses. He forms his power into a spike of pure mental energy, and waits for the chance to strike. Through her link with Sage, Liss begins to feed his attack her power.

Nyreal is leaping around, doing a good job of annoying Zionus, who is consistently unable to hit him with a crippling blast. The few hits Nyreal does sustain are minor enough to be healed as he continues to dodge.

_Wow...if I take even one of those blasts head on, it'd kill me. Luckily the shots are throwing off his targeting._ Just then, Nyreal hears confirmation of his plan through the earpiece he's wearing.

"Commander...TP-Drain is complete. Initiating TP-Release at your orders." The leader of the task force says, as his group hides behind piles of debris.

"Get ready...now!" Nyreal says into his comlink, as he stops leaping from side to side and lunges for the hovering Zionus, diving from a building towards him.

Down below, the special Mechguns flare with a bright white light, then begin to pour absorbed technique power back at Zionus as the troopers open fire. The flurry of supercharged shots impacts on his shield, punching through it easily, as it's the same frequency as the energy he gives off. He howls in suprise and brief pain, then is struck in the face by the diving Nyreal. He is knocked backwards, nearly losing his balance. 

As he begins to recover, Sage and Liss press their attack, assaulting him with all of their combined telepathic force. He screams as a spike of white-hot pain seems to be driven through his skull. The trooper's weapons switch phase, and they begin to penetrate his shield again.

**_How did they? I can't absorb enough power... These insects are actually harming me. I must...yes. That's it! First to take out the annoying pests sniping from afar._**

Zionus opens his mind up, allowing the full power of the Great Light to flow through him. For the first time, he lets go and gives himself up to the power. Twisted to his ends, it begins to collect within him, fueling his strength. As he straightens, he feels the invaders within his mind attempt to withdraw.

**_Hmm...I'll let them stay linked up, so they can see what I'm really capable of. All along, I was doing this wrong. I was drawing off the power, instead of letting it fuel me. Now...I truly am a god!_**

Zionus opens a channel, and a wave of pure white energy streams off of him, disintegrating the closest troopers. They don't even have time for a scream as the pulse of light obliterates them.

He raises a hand, and hurls Nyreal into the air with a burst of telekinetic power. He holds him there as he turns to Nyreal's troopers, and begins to incinerate them with a white flame that consumes their bodies from the inside out. Nyreal watches, helpless, as half his force is decimated before his eyes. He is unable to move a muscle.

**"You have a choice, mortal. Join me, and they live. I am impressed with your ingenuity. You almost harmed me..."**

"No way. I'm not big into psychotic televangelists, thanks."

**"Then, prepare to face my divine judgment."** Zionus says, pointing one hand at the immobilized Nyreal.

_"Liss...we have to stop him. This kid...he's important. I can feel it. "_

"How do you plan to do that, exactly?"

"Not sure. But we have to do something..."

Suddenly, they hear Lutz' voice, as an image of the Esper appears on the mental plane.

"I shall aid you. He has tapped into the full power of the Great Light. As such, I am honor bound to stop him. Sage, there are some ancient magics I have been meaning to impart knowledge of to you. This is one of them. Link yourselves together completely. You will need all of your power to shield against what Zionus is about to do."

Lutz begins chanting, as an arcane blue ring with faintly glowing runes appears around him. He rises off the perceived 'ground' as his chanting intensifies.

On more tangible planes of existence, Nyreal is staring at the rapidly growing orb of energy appearing on Zionus' hand. He thinks back, and calms himself.

_Well, it's been a good run. I just hope one of the squad gets information about that tactic to Lab. I don't want to die, necessarily, but this guy seems like he's giving me no choice. I can only hope I remember how to pull of Warla before he crispy fries me..._

Lutz finishes chanting as Zionus prepares to fire. The air shimmers with blue energy as his spell unfolds.

The white orb of energy expands into a beam, as a small orange disk appears in front of Nyreal. The beam hits, but at the same time a transparent shield appears around him, shunting the force of the blast off his body. Blue pinpoints of light dance around Zionus, converging into a massive explosion. His body is consumed in a flare of blue light, and and the very air around him seems charged with power. When the light fades, air rushes in with a loud whoosh, filling the space where the very air molecules themselves were transformed into energy. As the glow fades, Zionus is laughing loudly.

**"Ah, Lutz. You thought Legeon could even scratch me? Pitiful. This is not worth my time."** With not another word, he drops Nyreal and disappears in a flash, teleporting back to his base.

_On the mental plane, Lutz, Lissandra and Sage are slumped, drained utterly._

"Guarding against that took everything I had. It was like trying to stop a waterfall with a drink umbrella." Lissandra says, turning to Sage. She feels a slight rush of exhilaration, and realizes that the two of them are still linked together. She is even more suprised when Sage responds in kind.

"I can't believe we blocked that. Good timing with the attack, Lutz." Sage says wearily.

"When you regain consciousness, I will teach you how to perform that spell. As of now, get some rest. The second you break the link between you and Lissandra, the two of you will likely fall into a near-coma. You went far beyond the limits your bodies could take."

"So that's why it feels like I've been run over." Lissandra says, moving to stand. As she does, the landscape of the mental construct around her bends and tilts. She falls into Sage as he slowly attempts to stand. The mental avatars of the two end up on the 'ground', as Lutz gives them a slight nod.

"You two did well. I'm proud of you." He says, as he dissipates into the far reaches of Sage's mind.

"Liss, as soon as we break this link, we're gonna be out cold." Sage says, too tired to move as the exhausted Liss lays over him, her head and shoulders resting on his stomach. She looks up at the projection of the 'sky', and flashes an exhausted smile.

"Yeah..." she says, her mind voice thick with fatigue. "Oh, well. There are...worse places...to...fall...aslee..p." She manages, as the expenditure of energy becomes too much for her. Her mental projection closes her eyes as her body slips into total unconsciousness.

Sage looks at her, and smiles wryly. He lays one hand on her head, and lightly strokes her hair once. "See you when we wake up. Whenever that will be..." He gives into the demands of his body, and slips into a sleep born of mental exhaustion. The mental 'world' they had created with their link fades into nothingness as their minds return fully to their sleeping bodies. 

Two days later, Sage is awakened by a shaft of oddly colored sunlight hitting his closed eyelids.

Inside the Resistance Headquarters, repairs are being over-seen by Cranberry, Elly, Black Raiden and Striker. The victims of Zionus' attack are in the medical center, recovering. In the 24 hours since Zionus' attack, his minions had been broadcasting messages of his superiority and majesty over all available channels. With the recent display of his power, many people had flocked to join him, hoping for 'salvation' or simply fearing his wrath.

Striker assists three troopers in lifting a replacement beam, as Black Raiden welds it into place with a small torch.

"Cran, I can't believe we missed out on the entire fight." Black Raiden said, stepping back to examine her handiwork.

"Well, at least we aren't part of the injured ones. We couldn't just leave those soldiers to die after Zionus went chasing after X. And if we weren't there, there would have been no one to stop that contingent of Zionus' troops that showed up as he left." Cranberry says.

"And we did get to beat them down. So it wasn't a total loss." Striker replies, stepping back and releasing the replacement support beam that Raiden had just welded into place.


	11. Gathering Shadows

Sunlight filters through the trees, the brilliant sunset tinging the forest scene a pale orange. Ayame stands in a clearing, relaxing as the wind whispers through the leaves above her head. The patterns of the clouds loop infinitely as the VR simulation repeats itself over and over again. She leans back against the sun-warmed bark of the virtual tree behind her, closes her eyes and lets out a soft sigh. For the fifth time, she begins to focus her power, straining to remember the rage she felt at Zionus' attack. After a few moments, she sags against the tree, going limp as she exhausts her power.

She sits down to let her mental energies regenerate, and scratches gingerly at the pale bandage on her ribs. _No matter how hard I try, I can't get this to work. With Uncle X weakened, I have to be the one to fight Zionus. If I could control my power, I could do this. I could beat him. I could end all of this. It's not fair... we beat him years ago. Yet somehow he comes back, steals a lot of power and tries to take over. He's hurt so many people...it's not fair. Why do I have to be the one to face him? Why me? Why, why, why!_

As her frustration builds, a faint purple aura shimmers around her for a few seconds. Without realizing it, she telekinetically lifts the rocks around her and crushes them into powder. Her calm violet eyes flash a dark red as she stands. She whirls and delivers a Foie to the tree behind her, letting out a scream of frustration. "Argh!" 

"It's...not...fair!" She hits a button on the control remote tucked into her belt, and the scene shifts to a cliff overlooking the waters near Gal Da Val Island. Removing her platform shoes, she walks barefoot to the edge of the cliff. Gazing down at the sparkling ocean below her, she hits another control on the remote, projecting an image of Zionus above the shining waters. Focusing on her enemy, she charges a Foie and unleashes it. As the hologram begins to burn with simulated flame, she intensifies her assault, finishing with a flare of black energy that makes it about ten meters before dissipating in front of Zionus' holographic image. 

She falls to her knees, drained. Looking down at the waters below her, she catches a glimpse of blood red-hair through her tear-filled eyes. When she focuses, her hair is back to its normal color. She brings her legs up to her chest and hugs herself, rocking back and forth and beginning to hum softly.

In a lab nearby, Elly puts the finishing touches on JiEin's temporary frame. She closes a panel after sealing a few wires, then steps back and examines her handiwork. Walking to a computer terminal, she boots up the frame's main power system. As it initializes, she activates JiEin's primary OS. The eyes flash yellow for a brief moment, then JiEin sits up with a start.

"Elly...where am I?" 

"You're in the lab. It's been three days since you tried to kill yourself in a suicide attack on Zionus." Elly says, concern and fury mingling in her voice.

"Why do I feel so strange? This body, it's different..."

"Yes, it is. It's a copy of your original frame. I'm working on repairing your old body, but you'll need to give me a few days. We downloaded you into that frame to keep your memory centers intact. Its combat abilities are nowhere near your original frame, but it'll suffice for now."

"Very well. What's happened in the past few days?"

"Thousands of people have joined Zionus, hoping for 'salvation." Elly said with disgust, moving away from the computer console. She scans JiEin with a handheld device as she continues talking. "Braindead fools. A mob took out the teleportation routing centers last night. The inter-ship transporters are down. We've tried to repair them, but haven't had much luck."

From: magus84 Posted: 4/8/2005 2:35:18 AM Message Detail

"Was anyone seriously hurt in Zionus' attack?" JiEin asks, swinging his legs over the side of the examination table.

"The better question is...who wasn't? Everyone was injured, except for me, some of the soldiers, the medical personnel, and Cranberry's group. We've been patching things up around here since. Many soldiers were killed, but it could have been a lot worse. I finally managed to get Lab up and running again yesterday morning, and he's been coordinating repairs since."

"Are X, Ayame, Neifirst and Leah alright?" JiEin wonders aloud, standing up.

"Leah has a concussion. She's fine otherwise, but is still rather wobbly. Neifirst has some bruises and bumps, but she recovered fairly quickly. X and Ayame both used their conduit powers, and were completely drained. X got stabbed through the chest, but Ayame did some freaky conduit thing and saved him. They're both exhausted, but not that much permanent damage was done. The med staff has been on constant overtime. They weren't hurt that badly, though."

"They...both used their conduit powers? I didn't think Ayame was capable of using it on her own."

"She's been trying for the past day and a half to do it again, with no luck. Something about her and X's energy fields interacting with each other caused it. She's in the VR field now. Her and X trained earlier, with no luck."

"Where's X?"

"He's in the med center, getting a black eye looked at. He went outside and got jumped by a mob of people. Apparently, he's an 'enemy of the master' and needs to be 'purified.' He was trying to go to his apartment, as he said he had something that could help Ayame. With the teleporters down, he may not be able to go there with the mobs patrolling for him. The soldiers have had to almost shoot several of them when they gathered around outside the building."

"Have Zionus' troops attacked?"

"No, not really. Right after he left, a small group appeared. But Cranberry's group was able to fight them off. He seems to be biding his time."

"Hmm...that isn't reassuring. I'm going to go talk to X." JiEin moved towards the door, but was intercepted by Elly. Elly stopped him, then threw her arms around him and clung to him for a few moments. 

"Elly...?" JiEin asks hesitantly.

"I'm fine, you big moron. I was just worried about you. Don't ever, ever do something that stupid again. If you do, I'm going to turn you into a toaster. Got it?" Elly pulled away, wiping tears from her eyes.

"Sorry. I thought I could stop Zionus. I'll plan more carefully next time."

"Alright. Say hi to X for me. I'm gonna go work on your frame."

JiEin turned and strode quickly out of the lab.

From: magus84 Posted: 4/8/2005 3:50:34 AM Message Detail

A string of targets pops up, only to be swiftly cut down by a burst of Yasminkov fire. Nova reloads and fires again as another row of targets appears. As he loads his third clip, he is interrupted by the sound of the door. He turns to see the familiar faces of Axios and Kiara as the enter the training room.

"So...what's the plan boss?" Axios says, incinerating a target with a Foie from his bare palm.

"Zionus seems to be consolidating his power. With his number of followers increasing like this, he's going to have a true army soon. And without the Rings of Stars, there's not much we can do."

"So, we have to wait on Sage?" Kiara asks, skewering another target with a deft throw of one of her Kamuis.

"Basically, yes. Last anyone heard, he was on his way to the planet where the Rings were stored. We should just try to relax and wait for an opening, I suppose."

"Alright then. Let's have some fun..." Axios says, fiddling with the control panel on the side of the room. Seconds later, the familiar VR field of the Temple appears. The three hunters gather their weapons and begin to explore.

In Labyrinth's office, Lucca knocks lightly on the open door. He turns from his computer and motions for her to enter.

"You called, sir?"

"Yes, Lucca. I want to show you something. Sit down, please." Labyrinth waves her to a chair, then pulls up a schematic on his computer.

In the medical center, X is arguing with Leah.

"X, you are insane. Those people out there are trying to kill you. You can't go out like that, not in your weakened state. I'll go and get it."

"Look skank, you can barely stand up. I need to grab some stuff from the apartment. There's something there I can use to help Ayame. I just need to get there."

"Yeah, and there's a mob trying to kill you in the name of their 'god.' This is worse than your normal idiocy, even. Think, for once in your life. If you were at your full strength, getting there would be no problem. But trying to fight off a mob like this...it's suicide."

JiEin enters the room, looking for X.

"JiEin, you're looking different. What happened?"

"It's a temporary frame while Elly fixes my base one. I overloaded it fighting Zionus. What happened to you?"

"The idiot got taken out by some fanatic humans. It was hilarious..." Neifirst says, sauntering into the room.

"When you say it that way, it sounds so bad." X says, looking sheepish.

"It was that bad. You're lucky those troopers saw you." Neifirst quips.

"Well, I'm not used to fighting off guys. Usually when I get mobbed, it's beautiful women...oof!" The 'oof' was from Leah hitting him in the face with a pillow.

"So, what were you going outside for, anyway? It's practically martial law out there." Neifirst says, barely hiding her smirk as she sits on the side of Leah's bed.

"I've been trying to help Ayame train. There's a sword at my apartment that I think will be of use to her. It uses the same basic concept as our conduits do, just on a much lower level. It transforms emotion into power. If I could get that, she could get used to the idea and slowly build up to fueling a conduit. But the teleporters are down because of those psychos."

"Be honest. You just want your porn collection back." Leah says, laughing.

From: magus84 Posted: 4/8/2005 3:51:09 AM Message Detail

"And you don't want all your clothes?" X asks.

"See, I have a little something called foresight. I actually packed before this. You should try it sometime." Leah replies.

"Next time I get brainwashed and captured, I'll be sure to do that."

"Why not go in disguise?" says JiEin.

"Because I'm far too sexy to hide behind a disguise." X replies, striking a pose. He doubles over as Leah punches him lightly in the stomach.

Nei's eyes light up, and a strange smile spreads across her face. "I have the perfect idea...but you have to let me go with you."

"Uh, alright..." X says, startled by the grin on her face. "Hey skank, get some rest. I'll be back before we leave."

X, JiEin and Neifirst leave the room, heading to the living area. They pass Cranberry, Striker and Black Raiden, who are helping with repairs and training the new recruits.

"You know, it's ironic. The more people Zionus intimidates into joining him, the more people join us." X says, as they continue walking.

"It makes sense, actually. People are polarizing around one group or another. There are no neutral people anymore, not after all the atrocities he's committed." JiEin says. "Nei, where are we going?"

"To the equipment rooms. I have a wonderful idea." They reach the room marked 'uniform storage', and after clearing it with the custodian, they head inside.

Neifirst scans the racks of clothing, then picks out a faded blue dress and holds it up. "X, come here. I have the perfect disguise for you..." Nei says, nearly purring in delight.

"Nei...that's a Fomarl dress. I'm not a Fomarl." X says, a incredulous look on his face.

"I know. That's what makes it so perfect." Nei says, grinning evilly.

"You are not making me wear a dress." X says, backing away.

"Neifirst is correct, X. No one would ever be able to tell it was you." JiEin says.

"I...dammit. You have a point."

"" Neifirst simply smiles, a look of malicious glee in her eyes.

As Nei bustles about, gathering materials, JiEin goes to speak with Elly.

"Nei...you are enjoying this far, far too much." X says, holding up the dress.

"Yeah. You're already a bishie. You can pull this off easily. You might even be mistaken for cute."

"Why do you enjoy causing me such pain?" X groans.

"Because, it's fun. Tell you what, brat. Let me get a picture of you in the dress, and let me go with you, and I won't tell Leah some of the stuff I've been meaning to tell her."

"What...what do you mean...?" X says nervously.

"About your 'encounter' with Danielle. Or that time I got drunk and..."

"Alright, alright, fine!" X folds, seeing Nei's relentless leverage.

When Ayame walks in two hours later, she is startled to find a Ramarl with fuchsia hair held back with a beret. After looking more closely, she identifies the Ramarl as Neifirst. She is wearing a beige uniform with baggy pants and a low-cut, midriff-baring top. Her hair is pulled back into a braid, and a jaunty beret covers her ears. She is putting on a pair of glasses as Ayame walks in.

From: magus84 Posted: 4/8/2005 3:52:28 AM Message Detail

"Ms...Ms. Nei!"

"Hello, Ayame. Glad you decided to join us. We need to find you a disguise too. You said you wanted to go with us, right?"

"Yeah! It's so boring around here. Where's Uncle X?"

Neifirst chuckles evilly, then points to the door of the bathroom. "Your 'Uncle' is in there, fixing his hair." She scans the racks of clothing, then comes up with a black, leather Hunewearl outfit. "Here kiddo, put this on." She hands the outfit to Ayame, then steers her towards a changing room.

"Ms. Nei...how do you wear stuff like this? It's so tight in the chest, and the shorts are way too small..."

Neifirst turns as Ayame walks out of the changing room, then jumps in surprise. Sighing, she grabs an outfit with slightly more room in the chest and hips. Handing it to Ayame, she turns and checks her hair as Ayame goes to change again. _How did the kid develop that quickly...? It's insane. That first outfit I handed her would have fit me just fine, and I'm older than she is. Oh, well._

Thirty minutes later, Ayame is adjusting her new knee-high hunter boots. Nei is completely made over as a Ramarl. A tall man in grey pants and a grey shirt with red trim enters the room.

"Um, excuse me mister. We're changing in here..." Ayame begins.

"Don't worry Ayame, it's me. JiEin. Elly was able to acquire some of the synthetic skin we use for my undercover work. I'm going with you three." Ayame leaps up with a squeal of glee, and runs to inspect JiEin's new human look.

"Ooh, I like your hair. It feels so real..." Ayame says, running her fingers through JiEin's synthetic hair. "I like the red streaks. It goes nicely with the black. And the fake eyes are a really cool shade of blue."

"Thank you. The undercover gear is some of Elly's best work."

The three turn as a Fomarl in a blue and white dress emerges from the changing room. 'She' is carrying a mirror and a brush, and fidgeting with the pins in her hair every now and then.

"X...?"

"Yeah. You're right...this is a good disguise..." X says sheepishly, adjusting the padding in the chest of his disguise.

Neifirst goes into hysterical convulsions of laughter, nearly falling over. Ayame and JiEin look on, shocked. After a few minutes, Ayame braves a question.

"So...are you Aunt X now?"

X glares at her, as Neifirst regains control of herself. "Well X, I have to admit...you make a good woman. You certainly were thorough with it."

"If I have to dress up like a woman, I'm gonna look damned sexy. And you...who the hell are you?" X asks, staring at JiEin.

"It's me, JiEin. This is my undercover gear. Elly managed to obtain some of the synthetic skin from the lab."

"Oh...that's cute. So you're coming with us?"

"Yes. I have some business I need to take care of, and I'm apparently on Zionus' hit list as well."

"Aunt X, Aunt X...I'm coming too. It's so boring here..." Ayame says, stepping forward. She reaches up, brushing a strand of brown hair out of her face. "Ms. Nei helped me with my disguise."

"I can tell." X says dryly. "And kiddo...don't ever call me 'Aunt X' ever again."

"But Ms. Nei said..."

"No. Nei...no. You got what you wanted. But you're not going to have that much fun with this." X glared at Neifirst, who is barely able to keep from going into hysterical laughter again.

"Alright, alright...are we ready? We need to go see Leah first, though. And get some more fitting weapons. We shouldn't have to fight, but if we do, it'd be best to prepare."

The group heads to the weapons center, X receiving several stares of appreciation from the new recruits.

From: magus84 Posted: 4/8/2005 4:16:49 PM Message Detail

Ten minutes later, the group is outside the Weapons Depot. Neifirst grabs a Holy Ray, checks the charge on it's main power cell, then replaces it in its capsule and puts the capsule on her belt. Ayame is testing out a pair of Twin Chakrams, as JiEin goes through his paces with a Red Partisan. X has been searching through the list of the available weapons, and sighs with disgust.

"All these weapons suck. And I can't take a katana with me. They're far too distinctive."

"You know, if you would carry it like a normal person, instead of insisting on using those archaic sheaths..." Neifirst begins.

"Sheaths are so much cooler though. It increases the badassitocity factor by at least a thousand. But I can't use katanas, even with sheaths. It'll stick out too much..."

"But Uncle X, lots of people use katanas."

"Yeah, but no one uses them well. The second they see my masterful swordsmanship, they'll know it's me."

"X, I have an idea." JiEin says, replacing his powered down Red Partisan in its capsule. He walks over to the counter, requests a specific weapon capsule, then hands it to X.

"What the hell's this...a pair of fans...? JiEin, you are a genius. No one would ever suspect it's me. And I'm so badass, I can even make fans look cool."

"They are a special model created by that Athrun fellow. The fans have Photon blade emitters located along the tips, and can also generate an energy shield along the broad part of the fans. Yet they look like standard paper fans."

"Nice. How do you know all this?" X asks, swinging the bladed fans around experimentally.

"He attempted to repair the Ji Sword. He showed me those when he was working on it. He took the basic Harisen battle fan, made them smaller and put a photon emitter inside them. They have the same weight, but are more concealable when not in combat mode. Should work pretty well."

"Works for me. Are you all ready?" X says, stowing his new weapons.

"Yeah! I like these circle thingies." Ayame replies enthusiastically, swinging her new Twin Chakrams around wildly.

"Let's go then. But first...we **have** to go see Leah." Neifirst says, looking intently at X.

From: magus84 Posted: 4/8/2005 4:22:27 PM Message Detail

"Gah...alright." The group heads to the Medical Center, and X steps into Leah's room first.

"Hello." X says in a slightly high-pitched voice, as he pops his head into the room.

"Who are you...?" Leah says, looking up at X.

X smiles at Leah's look of puzzlement. _Damn I'm good._ Switching back to his normal voice, he replies "It's me, skank. Did the concussion mess you up that badly, or is it simply my incredible sexiness?"

"Wait, X? Ahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!" Leah collapses in a fit of hysterical laughter, nearly falling out of her bed.

Wiping tears of laughter from her eyes a few minutes later, she finally regains her composure. "Wow X...nice outfit. It will make a good disguise. Where are the others?"

Ayame, JiEin and Neifirst file into the room, Neifirst chortling with malicious laughter. "Hiya, Auntie Leah!"

"Ayame...? I like the hair. Did Nei help you color it?"

"Yeah." Ayame replies, shaking her twin ponytails of light brown hair.

"Nei, I recognize your hair in that RAmarl getup. But who's the guy? JiEin, is that you!"

"Yes, Elly helped with the camoflauge gear and the synthetic skin."

"That's...amazing. I could sense it was you, but there's no way I could tell just by looking. I wish I could go with you all, but I can barely stand."

"We'll be fine. Get some rest, skank. We'll be back before you know it." X states, moving towards the door. The others follow him.

"Be careful. Those people are nearly insane with fear and rage now. They'd do anything to ensure their 'salvation.' Hurry back."

"Yes, mom. Anyway, bye skank." The group leaves, as Leah leans back against her pillow, laughing softly to herself. _You know...he does make a rather cute woman. He's so bishie anyway..._

On the way to the main exit, the group passes by a squad of four soldiers training. Nyreal stands beside them, observing and giving pointers. One of the troopers breaks through his teammate's guard, and thrusts his bokken viciously, stopping as it lightly touches his sparring partner's neck.

"I win, Jans."

"Yeah, yeah Matsu. Hey, who's the hottie?" Jans says, pointing to the group heading towards the door.

"Which one are you talking about? The Ramarl's cute, but seems a little stuck-up. The Hunewearl's pretty damned hot, but there's something about her that's disturbing. The Fomarl though...man. I'll bet she's a sex machine under those robes." Matsu leers appreciatively, gauging his options.

"I've never seen them around before. Must be new recruits. Say, did you hear about X Launcher getting beat down by a crazed mob?"

"Yeah, well...he's nowhere near as skilled as me. Of course a newb will get beat down. I'm gonna go give that Fomarl a chance to try out my master swordsmanship..." Matsu strolls casually over to the group, as Jans looks on. Nyreal comes up behind him, and leans in to tell him something. The other two troopers stop their training to watch.

"You know Jans...that Fomarl isn't what 'she' seems, right? It's a man in disguise. You can tell by the way he walks, and how he's constantly staring at the Ramarl's backside. This should be entertaining." Nyreal barely hides a snicker, as Jans begins laughing to himself.

"Figures, commander. The other two are fairly attractive, but Matsu's so arrogant. Of course he'd go after the Fomarl. He thinks he's perfect. I'm glad he's gonna be wrong. I hope he gets what he deserves out of this..."

From: magus84 Posted: 4/8/2005 11:38:57 PM Message Detail

Sage blinked, and rolled onto his side. Looking around with bleary eyes, he saw an ornate crystalline wall. He shook his head, and sat up slowly. In a corner of the room, Yokote stirred.

"Ah, good. You're awake. We were worried about you. Liss is still asleep." Yokote said, kneeling down to grab a jug of water near his feet. He stood and walked over to Sage.

"Where...where are we?" Sage winced as he turned towards Yokote, catching an oddly colored ray of sunlight in his face.

"We're on Rykros. We managed to land the ship easily, but as soon as we landed we were warped into this strange palace. We can't get back to the Landale, or get outside. The doors are sealed with a strange crest. We have everything we'd need here, but we are stuck on the quest for the rings. I've been looking in the library, and it says we must be united to be able to claim them." Yokote says, handing Sage a cup of water.

Sage drinks, soothing his parched throat, then replies "Perhaps the doors will open if we all go to them together. I guess we have to wait for Liss to wake up. Where are Brom and Lorna?"

"Brom's in the monster simulation center, going through some training exercises. Lorna's cooking something, and she's been looking stuff up in the library. This place is very, very well equipped."

"Alright, thank you Yokote. I'm going to look around a bit." Sage says, standing up with a tiny bit of unsteadiness.

"Have fun. There's a bathroom with showers down that hallway. The actual bedrooms are down there too. The library, kitchen and simulator room are down the other hallway."

"If there are bedrooms, why'd you put Liss and I on the floor?" Sage asks, a quizzical look on his face.

"It was easier." Yokote says with a shrug, grinning slightly.

Sage walks down the hallway, heading to the bathroom area. He peeks his head into one of the bedrooms, and sees that his gear has been thrown onto the bed. He grabs a change of clothing, then goes to take a shower.

From: magus84 Posted: 4/8/2005 11:39:18 PM Message Detail

Around thirty minutes later, feeling refreshed and very hungry, he continues his exploration. He first goes to the large, ornate main door, which is inscribed with several arcane symbols. He tries to open it, and is rewarded with a booming voice speaking telepathically to him. _The way shall be opened when your group is united. _He leaves, and heads down the hall with the library. He runs into Lorna in the kitchen, led there by the delicious smell coming from several steaming pots.

"Hello, Lorna." Sage says, leaning against the door frame.

"Well, the sleeper awakens. About time. This place was getting boring." Lorna says, smiling. "We can't get in or out, but there are much worse places to be stuck."

"Yeah. I imagine that when Liss awakens, the locks will open. It said something about us being 'united'."

"So, the scary voice talked to you too? It spoke to me when I first touched it. You've been out cold for two days, you know...we've had plenty of time to try and break out."

"Two days...? Wow. I guess I overexerted myself more than I thought. Say, is that food almost done?" Sage asks, as a rumble from his empty stomach breaks his concentration.

"Yes, actually. It was my turn to cook. Yokote and I have been alternating the cooking duties. This place has an amazingly well-stocked kitchen. It's strange...it's like anything we need just...appears."

"Creepy." Sage replies. He turns to see Yokote entering the room.

"Lissandra is awake. She said she was going to take a shower and change clothes, then she'd join us." Yokote states.

"Oh, good. Maybe after that, we can get out of here." Lorna says as she begins to remove the pots from the stove. The three sit down to eat, and are halfway through their soup when Lissandra enters.

"Does anyone else find this place bizarre? It's like it wants us to stay here. Anything we need pops up immediately, but actually leaving seems out of the question." Lissandra says as she sits down at the table. The four finish their meal, and are cleaning up as Brom enters.

"Well meatbags, it's about time you're awake. This psycho castle won't let us leave without you. If you're done delaying your inevitable deaths with those stupid nutrients, I'd like to get on with what we came here for."

"Gee Brom, it's good to see you too." Sage replies, as they clear the table. After gathering their gear, they head to the main door. The magical glyphs glow brightly for a few moments, then dissipate away. A booming voice reverberates throughout the castle, bouncing off the crystalline walls.

"Chosen of the light...You come seeking the Rings of Stars. You must prove yourself worthy. I permit you to go into the world, and be tested."

The doors creak open, letting them out into the brilliant sunset. A sleek hovercraft is perched right outside the castle. They board, and head towards the massive tower in the distance.

X lounges outside a store as Neifirst, Ayame and JiEin exit, their arms laden with bags.

"Wow, you think you could have left the store some stock? Geez..." X quips.

"We haven't had a chance to go shopping in a long time, Aunt X. It's fun. You should join us. Maybe you can find something you like." Ayame says brightly, juggling a few bags.

"Yeah, like a new dress. That one fits you very well, but since you seem to enjoy it so much, you need to diversify. Some accessories wouldn't hurt either..." says Neifirst as she turns to X.

"..." X scowls.

"Oh come on. If you didn't enjoy dressing up like a woman, why'd you spend so long primping in the bathroom?" Nei asks, grinning evilly at X.

"I already told you. If I have to dress up like this, I'm going to look damned good. Not everyone thinks they can get away with the skanky catgirl look. Don't get me wrong. I'm not complaining. It works for you. I mean, it almost got you me, not to mention a lot of others. But in the end, I'd still rather not contract a case of crabs." X replies, dodging a few punches from the now-enraged Neifirst.

"Aunt X, why don't you want crabs? Crab legs taste good, especially when they're dipped in garlic butter. Uncle JiEin served them at his restaurant a few times." Ayame says innocently.

X turns with an embarrassed look on his face, as Neifirst fumes. "When you're old-...-Ah, cripes. You are older. Guess it can't be helped. You see,the type of crabs we're talking about are something Ms. Nei gets when she makes new 'special friends'."

"What do you mean by 'special friends'?" Ayame asks, puzzled. Neifirst looks on with a scowl of pure rage on her face.

"Well, Ayame, you see, when Miss Nei has a few drinks, she likes to go out and make special friends.She's tried to become special friends with the shop owners, the check room girl, random people on the street, Elly, and the Principal. She even tried to become special friends with me. Quite a few times." X replies, smiling at Neifirst.

"Argh... I'm not some tawdry skank,you brat!" Nei snarls, lunging at the rapidly retreating X.

From: magus84 Posted: 4/13/2005 5:26:03 PM Message Detail

"Uh huh. So, how do you explain that I would have been one of these 'special friends' were I not such a virtuous gentleman? Either you finally admit that I'm far too sexy for you to resist, or..." X says, dodging away from her punch.

Neifirst, enraged, continues her attack as X dodges her.

Nei's furious attempt at an assault draws stares from the few passerby, who turn to look at the group with inquisitive eyes. Realizing the scene they are making, Nei gradually calms herself down.

"X..." Nei says through gritted teeth. "When we get out of this, I'm going to..."

"Invite me to be one of your special friends, as you finally realize your feelings for me? Sorry babe, but I'm kinda taken. If you want to share, you have to bring the drinks."  
Neifirst seethes, not trusting herself to say anything.

"Gee, Aunt X, who wouldn't want to be special friends with Miss Nei?" Ayame says, turning to Neifirst.

"Well, Ayame, Miss Nei can be a bit rough on her special friends. She sometimes tends to scratch or even bite her special friends." X says, continuing to avoid Neifirst.

"That's not very nice..." Ayame says, frowning slightly.

"I know Ayame, but Miss Nei just can't control herself around her special friends. Because of this, some people have avoided becoming special friends with her. I didn't become one because I am a gentleman. Elly didn't become one because she wants to be special friends with JiE-"

"So, X, what did you say to that trooper that came on to you?" JiEin asks in a blatant attempt to change the subject, as the group continues their stroll towards the destination.

"Yeah! He got this funny look on his face like he was going to start crying, then walked off without saying anything. " Ayame says, her arms swinging as she skips along.

"Well, you see..." X begins.

Meanwhile, on Rykros, Sage's group has reached a large, ornate, crystalline tower. The structure looms over the surrounding landscape, the odd red lighting casting ominous reflections onto the barren surface.

From: magus84 Posted: 4/13/2005 7:04:50 PM Message Detail

The hovercraft Sage's group is on stops automatically as it reaches the tower. Brom and Yokote, who are at the controls, try to make it move again, but it fails to respond.

"Well, looks like this is where we're supposed to be. I guess we should go inside." Sage says, as the others gather their gear.

"So, what do you think's inside?" Yokote asks, as the group disembarks.

"Probably some sort of elaborate trial thing, or something." Lorna replies, as she steps lightly out of the vehicle. The others follow behind her. As they reach the ground, they hear a loud cry. Whirling, they are confronted by a large black creature, that towers above even Brom.

In appearance, it is similar to a Crimson Assassin, only much larger and with iridescent black armor instead of red. Its serrated mandibles drip a viscous purple liquid that steams as it hits the ground. The creature lets out a high-pitched scream, and charges toward the group, saber-like arms flailing wildly.

They scatter, each preparing an attack. The creature locks onto Sage, changing direction to charge towards him. He pulls his Red Handgun and begins firing at its head, telekinetically guiding his shots. The photon bullets smash into the creature's head, doing minimal damage as sparks fly from its armor plating.

"What is this thing?" Sage says, firing rapidly as he continues to dodge the creature's swipes. It pursues him relentlessly as the others begin to attack it. Lissandra hurls a Photon Blade from her Diska of Braveman at it, which does minimal damage. Lorna blasts it with a flurry of Gibarta shards, but it shrugs them off like they are nothing. It shrieks and swipes away Yokote with its tail as he leaps at the creature. He is hit across the chest and slams into the ground hard, rolling to a stop.

"Ow..."He says weakly, casting Resta on himself.

The creature manages to pin Sage against the wall of the hovercraft, and swipes at him with both arms. He manages to doge, but is hit by a burst of acidic saliva the creature spits at him. He throws an arm up to protect his face, augmenting the protection with a telekinetic shield. With the creature's open mouth looming above him, he shoves his Red Handgun into its mouth and begins firing.

Brom leaps from the top of the hovercraft, his Chainsawd spinning rapidly. He brings the blade down in a vicious arc, cleaving through the neck of the creature as Sage's repeated shots blow off the back of its head. A spray of acidic blood shoots from it as the two back away.

From: magus84 Posted: 4/13/2005 7:05:46 PM Message Detail

"Well, that was messy. Why do fleshbags always have to make such a mess when they die? It messes up my finish..." Brom says, as Sage examines the mangled end of his Red Handgun. The acidic drool had eaten through the plating, and fried the firing mechanism. He clicks the trigger a few times to no avail, then sighs and replaces it in its capsule on his belt.

"Ugh. If there's any more of those in the tower...we have to find a better way of dealing with them."Sage says as they regroup.

"Yeah. That thing was really fast, and its armor was almost inpenetrable. Yokote, are you alright?" Lissandra asks, as Yokote slowly walks over to them.

"I'm fine. That creature had burrowed under the ground. I assume the hovercraft alerted it to our presence."

"Alright. Well, let's get going. There's probably going to be some horribly elaborate trials in here, so we need to be careful." Lorna states as they reach the entrance of the tower.

The massive doors at the base of the tower open, and they slowly walk inside. As the five of them cross the threshold, a bright flare of light blinds them. When they are able to see again, each of them is alone in a different room, with varying traps and pitfalls around them.

_"Well, this is interesting."_ Sage thinks, attempting to broadcast his thoughts to the others. When he gets no response he tries again, only to discover a barrier around the corridor he is in.__

Lutz, what's going on?

"You are in the Tower of Trials. It will test your power, your courage, and your control over your emotions. The first part of the trial must be handled alone."

"How cute. So, do you think the others are alright?"

"They must face their own trials. You will be reunited at the end, if they manage to pass."

"If? That doesn't sound very promising."

"Well, it is a test. Not a guarantee. Can't have items of divine power be handed out to just anyone, you know?"

"Good point." Sage replies, as he removes his Striker from its capsule and begins walking down the corridor, passing elaborate runes and glyphs tooled into the blue stone walls.

_"Sage...stop. There are creatures ahead that will test your combat abilities. They are immune to the weapons you wield, and your telekinesis will not be enough to stop them. Techniques are the only way to effectively damage them. As such...it is high time I impart the knowledge of some of the Ancient Techniques to you. Make yourself comfortable...this may take a while."_

Sage sighs and sits down, watching the corridor warily as Lutz begins the instructions.

From: magus84 Posted: 4/13/2005 7:52:11 PM Message Detail

On Ragol, X and the group are talking as they walk towards X's apartment complex. X is relaying what he said to the arrogant soldier Matsu.

_X, in his Fomarl dress, is standing inside Resistance Headquarters, near the main exit. He is approached by a tall, slender man with closely-cropped dark hair. He stifles a grin as the man saunters up to him._

"Hey there, beautiful. You look like a sophisticated woman. Do you think you could help me with something?" Matsu says, flashing what he thinks is a disarmingly attractive grin. The fried rappy bits in between his teeth and the stench of Trifluids tend to detract from the image.

X smothers a laugh with sheer force of will, and motions for Neifirst, Ayame and JiEin to go on without him. Neifirst seems to protest, but Ayame and JiEin usher her out the door.

X, speaking in a surprisingly convincing alto voice, replies "Why certainly. Anything to help such a strong, majestic hunter such as yourself."

"I seem to have lost my Guild Card. Can I have yours?" Matsu says, smiling at what he thinks is an incredibly witty remark.

"Sure. Here you go. titter" X says, sending him a Guild Card.

"Mome, eh? What a beautiful name. So, do you like swordsmanship? I'm a master swordsman, you know..." Matsu says, stepping closer. 

"Oh, you mean like X Launcher?" X says, smiling falsely at him. The infatuated fool doesn't seem to notice, as he continues his spiel.

"Yeah, but only about a thousand times better. I make him look like the punk he is. He got taken out by a mob of civilians the other day. I'm so much more skilled than he is. In many ways..." Matsu says, lowering his voice suggestively.

"What's your favorite sword?" X asks, feigning interest.

"My Sealed-J. It's a work of art. I just need someone to help me unseal it. If you're interested. What's your favorite?"

"I like to use the Agito. But my sparring partner likes to wield my Agito even more."

From: magus84 Posted: 4/13/2005 7:53:51 PM Message Detail

_"Sparring partner, eh? Well, I think I can help you with that. I'm probably much more skilled. I can show you some new moves, some different forms, stuff like that. I like to help beginners learn how to control a sword." Matsu oozes, leering at X's chest._

"I'm pretty happy with my current one, actually. **She** really knows how to handle a sword. But if you'd like a quick match here..."

"She? Ooh, babe...I think we're going to get along great. Do you have your weapon with you now? Because if not, I could let you try mine out." Matsu says, smiling.

"Sure. But I don't really have time for this." X says, turning to walk away. Matsu reaches out and grabs his arm rather fiercely.

"Hey, I'm trying to teach you some stuff. You should be grateful. But I think I need to teach you some of the rules of swordsmanship first. A little private lesson..."

X grins, then shrugs off Matsu's hand. He then pulls out his fans and settles into a battle stance. "No, that's alright. Thanks though. If you really want to spar, I have my weapons right here."

"Fans...? I thought you said you had a sword?" Matsu says, a puzzled look on his face.

"No, you misunderstand. I said I liked swords, but that my sparring partner likes my sword." X says, putting emphasis on the word 'sword'. "You see, catgirls are pretty good with them. They'll play with them all the time if you let them. A nice sharp sword is like catnip to them."

"I...don't think we're talking about the same thing." Matsu says, looking puzzled.

Switching back to his normal voice and reaching out to pull Matsu close, X replies "Sure we are. I just actually know how to use mine. But that doesn't mean I'm going to pull it out and show you. For one, you aren't a catgirl. Two, if there was an IQ requirement to be able to breed, you'd fall way short of it. You're an embarrassment to the Hunter class as a whole.

"What the? You're not a guy, are you...?" Matsu says, a shocked look on his face.

"Heh. A little slow on the uptake, are we? What do you think? Next time you try to 'seduce' some girl, try to actually steal decent lines. Learn some manners. Make sure it's actually a girl. Unless you like guys. And please, most importantly, take a bath. But if you really want to spar that badly..." X says, stepping towards the rapidly backpedaling imbecile with a menacing look in his eyes.

Matsu got a look of utter despair on his face, then quickly turned and walked off. X collapsed in silent laughter as the mortified hunter shambled off. 

X, JiEin, Ayame and Neifirst have reached X's apartment relatively unscathed. Neifirst has a slight twitch in her right eye from anger, and X's disguise is disarrayed from attempts to avoid Neifirst's wrath. JiEin is trudging along stoically, carrying the bulk of the bags with little trouble. Ayame is strolling along with a preoccupied look on her face. Her eyes briefly flicker with an inner turmoil, but the others barely notice.

_"Hey, kiddo. Please tell me you understand what they are implying..." Danielle says to Ayame, a sardonic bite underlying her mental voice._

"Um...that Ms. Nei is popular, and has a lot of friends?" Ayame thinks, completely nonplussed at having her alternate personality carry on a conversation with her.

Danielle winces, then lets out a long sigh. "Look kid. We agreed to let you handle this little trip because we thought it'd be good for you. But geez...you're killing me here."

'Young Ayame' gives the mental equivalent of a blank stare, as the more mature personality asserts itself from deep within her psyche. The older version of her that mirrors her physical form walks up to the younger version, which is a spitting image of her as her pre-transformed, childlike state. A few mental 'whispers' later, and the young girl's mental projection begins to giggle.

"Ah, I get it. You mean Ms. Nei and all those people..." the younger version of Ayame says, bubbling with barely contained laughter.

The older version sighs, and nods. As Ayame snaps back to full awareness, the two older versions of her confer briefly.

"Well, it was either you let her figure it out, or me flat-out tell her. I would've preferred to just blast her and take control, but..." Danielle began, a look of disappointment on her face.

"Now now, control. You said that it would be possible to coexist..." 

"Yeah, but she's so...so..."

"Naive? Innocent? Not a bloodthirsty harlot?" The older version of Ayame says, grinning at her dark counterpart.

"I'll take that last one as a compliment, although the first two cause me pain to even hear. But I think you should let her figure this stuff out on her own more often, instead of shielding her from it like you do." Danielle says, as the two warp to 'Danielle's ' section of Ayame's psyche.

"It's gradual. Integrating the personalities of each of us would be traumatic if done all at once, and would leave us unable to function. We need to take it slow. You'll get to release those 'urges' of yours eventually..." the older version of Ayame replies.

"Yeah, well...you crave ice cream and violence just like me. You just have more practice at self-denial." Danielle says, smirking.

"Eh, let's set back and watch. Letting 'kiddo' figure this one out should be entertaining, to say the least." The two factions of Ayame's personality settle in to watch the fun as their youthful, naive counterpart finally connects all the "when you are older" comments.

Ayame suddenly stops walking, a look of pure revelation on her face. She turns to X, and grabs him by the shoulder as he walks by, stopping him.

"I finally figured it out. All that stuff that you said you'd 'tell me when I was older.' " Ayame says as she jumps up and down excitedly.

"Oh?" X replies, a puzzled look coming over him.

"All the stuff you said you'd tell me when I was older was about being 'special friends', wasn't it? And being 'special friends' is what Dr. Montague built Utena for, right?"

X nods slowly, looking a bit embarassed.

"And the reason why you need special friends is the same reason why Aunt Leah used to take those really long showers. And why you have all those locked files on your computer with all the pictures of ladies without clothes." Ayame says, smiling.

"Hey, how did you...?" X says, rather alarmed.

"You know those times I had to come over to work on homework, and use your laptop? Well, several times when I would go to pull up my file, it would go automatically to the folder where your pictures were. And I was usually in a hurry, so I'd just click 'ok'. There were a lot of pictures of naked ladies. A bunch of movies too."

X looks on, mortified. After a few seconds, he answers. "Yeah, well...you shouldn't be looking at those."

"I know I shouldn't look, but I figured if I kept looking, I could figure out what Auntie Leah did in the shower. The noises the ladies made in the movies are the same as the ones Auntie Leah would make when she took a shower. The ladies seemed to like being in the movies as much as Auntie Leah liked her showers. And I'll bet those ladies were as happy as Auntie Leah was when she got out of the shower. I never really got it, though. I guess she must really like taking baths."

"So that's why she always took so long in the shower...ewww...I always went after her. Ewww!" X begins scraping his feet against the ground frantically as he waves his arms around wildly.

Nei laughs, and says to X "C'mon brat, honestly now. What did you think she was doing in there?"

"I...always assumed it was that shampoo." X says sheepishly.

Neifirst looks blankly at JiEin, who simply shakes his head. The group walks on as Ayame continues her revelations.

"And since the two of you started sleeping in the same room, Aunt Leah's showers haven't been nearly as long. But I've woken up in the middle of the night before because of some strange noises coming from your room. I heard a lot of banging and rattling, and sounds like you were breaking furniture. And some yelling and laughing."

"..." X stares ahead as they continue walking, a dumbfounded look on his face.

"And..." Ayame begins.

"Ayame, would you like a triple scoop of chocolate fudge ice cream?" X interrupts, his forehead resting on his hand as he walks along.

"Yeah, sure! But...why now?"

"If you stop talking about this, I'll buy you one. Please. I'll explain everything to you, but not right now, alright?"

"But..." Ayame says, a downtrodden expression on her face.

"Not...now. Understand?" X says, looking rather stern.

"Ok."

Ten minutes and an ice cream cone later, they have arrived at X's apartment. X swipes his keycard over the door and they step inside. 

"Ah, good to be back." X says.

Within Zionus' base, Eriror receives a report from a trooper in the intelligence division.

Brom materializes in an elaborate corridor, small crystals reflecting points of light from the embedded illumination tiles in the ceiling. His footsteps ring on the smooth stone floor as he walks forward. A cursory scan of the area reveals a large group of D-Cell type monsters ahead.

"Hmph. Well, time to get to work. At least I get to kill something while I go on this stupid little fetch quest."

Withdrawing his Chainsawd, he continues down the corridor, the soft whir of the blades echoing as he proceeds forward. As he turns the corner, a ghostly figure in a white robe appears.

_"Android...you lack a soul. Or at least, that is what you believe. Are you simply a tool to be used for war, or is there something more to your existence? Will you betray those you fight for, or will you find something you truly believe in? You must face this dilemma before you may procee-gah!"_

The exclamation came about as Brom slammed his Chainsawd into the figure's side, the buzzing photon blades ripping into its ghostly form. It wavered for a second, then disappeared.

"Damned decaying meat sack. Won't even shut up when it no longer lives. If I wanted to listen to philosophical ranting...Well, I wouldn't. But if I did, it'd be from someone that I could kill when it got too boring." Hoisting his weapon, he comes to a large, elaborate door with a majestic blue crystal in the center. Two quick strikes and a kick have the shattered remnants of the door's masonry lying on the floor.

He lightly steps over the remains of the door, walking into a vast, domed room. As he crosses the threshold, a blue spark of energy emanates from the crystal, creating an ethereal blue barrier over where the door used to be. The lines of power radiate from the crystal, forming into a barrier around the entire room. Brom steps forward, into the middle of an inscribed arcane circle.

"Well, this is entertaining. I wonder what I have to break to get out of here..."

A flash of light illuminates the room for a moment, three figures appearing as the glare fades. The lead one speaks as the others look on.

_"You are to be tested, to see if you are worthy. The first test is a trial by combat."_ With a wave of his hand, dark portals spring up around the room. Vaguely humanoid figures in stark black armor begin to emerge from the portals, brandishing weapons. The soldiers flood the room, more appearing every second.

Within moments, Brom is surrounded by a ring of nearly one hundred black-armored figures. Those in the front hold swords and shields, or massive battle axes. Those in the rear carry a mix of spears and partisans, with a few figures in lighter armor clutching staves. One knight stands back, overseeing the battle. On his back is an enormous two-handed sword, its black blade seeming to suck light into it, the gems on its hilt radiating a faint purple glow.

_"Face the warriors of Darkness, and prove your might."_

As one, the army surges forward, no cry marking their charge. Brom braces himself and swings at the first two soldiers to approach, cleaving the shield of one with a savage two-handed overhead swing. His Chainsawd continues its arc, slashing deep into the creature's torso. A puff of black smoke wisps out as the armored being falls apart, the armor dissipating into faintly glowing specks of black material. Brom brings his blade up, decapitating a second soldier who thought to hit him from behind with an axe. The soldiers close in, pressing the attack as Brom fights like furiously, becoming slowly overwhelmed.

On Ragol, Lucca stands before a group of the Resistance's troopers. _Commander Labyrinth found the intel on this prison camp. If we want any chance of fighting Zionus' growing army, we need to reach out to the people opposing him before it's too late. I only hope the Dreamchasers are successful too._

Clearing her head of doubts, she addresses her squad of twenty volunteers.

"The mission this time is to rescue some civilians that have been captured by Zionus for opposing his rule. We need to get in, free the people and get out as quickly as possible. Stick together and don't draw attention to yourselves. We'll be departing to Ragol using the cargo transporter, as it's one of the few still active. We should be returning via the transporters, when they are back online. Move out!"

Lucca and her troopers depart, as the Dreamchasers prepare themselves for another stealth mission.

"So, Nova...what's the plan?" Axios asks, leaning casually against the wall of the VR simulator.

"We go in quickly, take out the guards and recapture the teleport routing center. We get the control data, then leave as fast as possible." Nova replies, highlighting data on the model in the center of the room.

"Sounds relatively easy. Which means it won't be. How many guards?" Kiara asks, adjusting one of her boots.

"Around...50." Nova replies in a low voice.

"Wonderful. Well, let's get started on our untimely deaths, shall we?" Axios quips as the three leave the room.

Labyrinth and a squad of soldiers are approaching a debris-strewn area, looking for survivors from Zionus' rampage. As they round the corner, a group of about ten people come upon them, their hands full of looted goods. The leader of the gang, a tall woman with unkempt brown hair, raises her Gae Bolg in challenge.

"This area belongs to Lord Zionus now! Convert or perish!"

The two groups fan out into attack position, drawing their weapons.

On Rykros, Brom has managed to take out nearly half the knights, but is beginning to get worn down. He parries a two-handed axe swing with his Chainsawd, but an overeager knight pops up as his weapon is locked with the axe and swings at Brom's head. Brom is barely able to block the blow, but the force of the hit shatters his weapon, the photon blades going dead as the weapon is demolished. Brom lashes out with his right leg, delivering a brutal kick to the chest of the knight.

Grabbing the axe knight's arms, he puts his oot into the knight's torso armor and rolls backwards, flinging the knight into the wall. He picks up the dropped axe and begins attacking with a renewed fervor, the faint glow of Shifta and Deband emanating from the Psycho Wand buried in his chest.

_Well, that crazy stick actually did something useful for once._ He thinks, laying into opponents right and left. As he beheads one knight, another that he thought was disabled lunges upwards, impaling him through the stomach. Sparks fly from his torso as he bats the knight away with his comrade's axe. Brom slumps to one knee, dropping the axe. He grips the shaft of the spear with both hands and gives a might pull, freeing it from his circuitry. He gets to his feet, twirling the weapon over his head as he uses a Trimate. The sparks shooting from his damaged frame fade, and he is able to move freely again.

Surveying his opponents, he sees that only about a dozen remain. Charging the group of knights, he uses the polearm to vault into the air, crashing down on one knight and sending the spear through the top of his helmet. As he lowers, he maintains his grip on the spear, spinning to cave in the helmet of another with his feet. He lands, still holding onto the spear as the knight begins to disintegrate. Stepping forward, he swings the spear, dragging the impaled knight's body with it, knocking two more down. Brom picks up the two fallen swords and turns to face the remaining few knights as the leader looks on.

X has gathered the belongings he needs from his apartment into a duffel bag, and has it laying at his feet. He takes one last look around his room, then grabs his laptop and places it into the bag. As he walks out into the hallway, Ayame emerges from the guest room she often used.

"Uncle, what was it you wanted to show me?"

"Oh yeah. It's downstairs in the safe." Hoisting his duffel bag, X descends the stairs. Neifirst is in the kitchen, munching on some pretzels. JiEin turns from the computer in the kitchen as X and Ayame enter the room.

"X, I have some personal business to take care of. I'll meet up with you at the Resistance Headquarters."

"Personal business? What, you have another catgirl you go to for 'maintenance'? Elly will be so upset." X says as he walks over to a painting that hangs on his living room wall.

"No, X. I'm going to see an old acquaintance about repairing the Ji Sword." Ji replies

"Ah, have fun with that." X lifts the painting from its hanger on the wall, revealing a large safe. He enters a quick combination into the keypad, releasing the locks on the safe. Reaching into the cavernous safe, X withdraws a short katana with an elaborate purple sheath. He closes the safe, then turns to Ayame.

"Ayame, take this. Its known as Shiranui. It channels technique energy into offensive power."

Ayame takes the elegant weapon, holding the sheath carefully with both hands. "Thanks!"

"Well, try it out." X says, grinning at Ayame's reaction.

Ayame grips the sheath with her right hand, then withdraws the blade. A flash of purple light sparks as the weapon is drawn from its sheath. Purple flames rush up and down the blade as Ayame holds it aloft.

"Ooh, pretty. But when I hold it it feels like its draining me."

"Yes. As long as the sword is active, it drains technique energy. It's a steady pull on your resources, but with practice you'll be able to channel more or less energy into it."

"Ok." Ayame sheaths the blade as X makes one last trip around the apartment.

"Brat, where'd you get that katana from, anyway?" Neifirst asks, standing and stretching.

"You know how people randomly gave me stuff back when we went to fight Zio?"

"Yes, those poor deluded fools."

X winces slightly. "Well, about two weeks after that, this crazy old lady comes up to me and gives me this sword."

"And why haven't you used it, or shown it off, or anything before now? That was quite a while ago." Nei asks, raising an eyebrow.

"It was buried in my closet. I kinda threw it in there and didn't find it until about three months ago. I was looking for something and found it."

"..."

"Uncle X, are we going back now?" Ayame asks, fastening the blade to her belt

"Yeah, I've got everything I need from here."

X picks up his duffel bag and follows behind his three companions, locking the door behind them. As the step out onto the street, JiEin walks off, heading towards another section of Pioneer 2. X, Ayame and Neifirst begin the walk back to Resistance Headquarters, but are stopped about halfway there by the appearance of a large group of Zionus' troopers. A man in a dark blue uniform appears from the center of the group, brandishing a Zanba.

He points the enormous blade at X and laughs."So, the 'great' X is reduced to hiding in a woman's garb. I never had the pleasure of killing you, as the master thought at the time you would be more useful alive. But at this point...there is no further need of you."

X simply stares blankly. "Right. And you are, again?"

Eriror glares as his troops fan out to attack. "It seems you lack the memories of your time spent as one of Lord Zionus' followers. No matter. You'll be dead soon anyway."

"Another guy with an overcompensating sword and self-importance issues. I wonder how long it'll take me to gut this one..." Neifirst says, drawing her L & K mechs. She starts the battle with a volley of photon shots which Eriror effortlessly blocks, maneuvering his massive weapon with a surprising dexterity.

"Nei...we were still in the obligatory pre-fight taunt stage. That was cruel." X replies, drawing his fans.

Ayame activates her Twin Chakrams and hurls them at the crowd of soldiers, telekinetically guiding them to cut down several troopers. Those that dodge out of the way are picked off by powerful Foie blasts. Neifirst continues to blast away as a group of soldiers attacks X. The troopers wield a combination of Last Survivor swords and Durandal sabers.

One swings viciously at X, who parries with the photon blades on his left-hand fan. He delivers a swift kick to the man's mid-section, making him double over in pain. X blocks an over-hand swing by the Last-Survivor wielder, crossing his fans as the force of the weapon pushes him back. _Wow... this draining thing sucks royally. I'd have no trouble blocking this if I was at full power. Oh, well._ X twists his fans slightly, pinning the man's weapon as he sidesteps. Shifting his weight to one foot, he spins his body as he lashes out with his other foot, sweeping the man's ankles. Off-balance, the man is unable to regain his footing and is sent flying.

"Heh, that was eas-whoa!" X hurriedly dodges a stab from another Durandal wielder, barely squirming away in time. He channels a Foie at the man's face, then delivers a swift combo attack to the man, dropping him. "I like these fans..."

Neifirst continues to fire away as Eriror charges her. He blocks the bullets, then slashes one of her guns with his Zanba, demolishing it. Neifirst tosses the other aside with a scowl, drawing a Twin Blaze. With a flick of her wrist, she ignites the flaming Q-Tip and goes on the offensive. Eriror briefly retreats as she shoves the flaming weapon at his eyes, but counters with a sweep to her back leg that knocks her off balance. He tackles her with his shoulder, sending her to the ground.

_Wow, this guy's pretty good. I might actually have to try..._ Nei manages to roll away from Eriror's first overhead swing, getting to her feet as his Zanba splits the pavement. She kicks him in the side, then follows with a flurry of swings from her weapon. Eriror blocks with his Zanba, then sends a pulse of Zonde through his blade that knocks her reeling. She slumps to the ground stunned and limp as he raises his blade for a fatal strike.

Eriror charges his sword with power, sacrificing a bit of his life to feed the massive blade. As his Zanba descends towards the paralyzed Neifirst, an enormous Foie blasts his sword off-target, causing it to slam into the ground beside Nei.

Ayame stands, her Twin Chakrams extended. A large portion of the soldiers from Eriror's unit are on the ground with either Twin Chakram wounds or Foie burns. She glares at Eriror as he turns toward her. Steadying his blade, he charges at her with a mighty diagonal swing, which she barely manages to intercept with her Twin Chakrams. X continues to plow his way through the remnants of Eriror's forces as Ayame begins to fight Eriror. 

Ayame sends a powerful Barta wave at Eriror, the train of ice knocking him backwards. In the brief interval this buys her, she casts Shifta and Deband on herself, the red and blue glow boosting her abilities. With her enhanced strength, she goes on the offensive, her quick strikes catching Eriror off-guard. She scores two glancing hits on his armored uniform, but he blocks the third hit of her whirling attack and backhands her in the face as he switches to a one-handed grip on his Zanba.

She staggers back, wiping a small trickle of blood from her mouth. _That really hurt. I'm going to make this guy pay.He was one of the ones who helped keep Uncle X under control..._ Within Ayame's mind, her older persona takes charge. _"I'll handle this. Our younger self isn't quite equipped to deal with him.."_

"You could always let me..."

"No Danielle. You got to have your fun. Besides, we need to take this guy down quickly. Your brand of fun would draw this out far too long."

"Hmph, fine."

Ayame resumes the battle, a new look of determination in her eyes. She casts a quick spell on Eriror, surrounding him with her Dark Curse technique. With his elemental resistances lowered, she pummels him with a furious assault of Zonde spells.

Eriror drops to one knee as Ayame switches to Foie spells, the barrage of gigantic fireballs impacting on his sword. He charges the blade as an energy field surrounds him, then leaps into the air. "Frare's Wrath!" He cries,firing an enormous blast of orange energy at the ground as arcane circles appear around him. Ayame is caught in the blast and knocked unconscious as Eriror lands.

"Hmph. Well X, it's your turn to die."

X scowls at him. "If you've hurt her..."

"Big words from a man in a dress. Bring it on."

X rushes at Eriror, swiping viciously with the photon blades of his fans. Eriror dodges the first few swings effortlessly, then counterattacks with a kick to X's face that sends him sprawling.

X gets to his feet, striking at Eriror's face with a quick Zonde. With the distraction this provides, X leaps at Eriror, who brings his Zanba up to block the attack. The photon blades of the fans are blocked, but X's knee to Eriror's face is not. X lands in a crouch, sweeping Eriror's feet out from under him before delivering a powerful two-handed hit to Eriror's side as he staggers back.

Eriror lands on his back, slightly winded. X simply grins, then resumes his attack. The whirling fans trace a path of hard light as their photon blades seek Eriror's flesh. X manages to dodge Eriror's relatively slow attacks as he slashes away with his fans, snuffing Eriror's more elaborate moves.

Charging his weapons with heat, X unleashes a modified Ryuenjin, streaking skywards with a blazing uppercut that catches Eriror across the chest. X pivots in mid-air, forming icy blades around his weapons as he dives at Eriror, the twin blades of X's Hyouretsuzan impacting with Eriror's upheld Zanba. X balances on the weapon for a split second, then kicks Eriror in the stomach as he backflips away from Eriror's counterswing.

X's fans sizzle with stored electrical power as he stabs a Raitonken at Eriror's heart. Eriror brings his sword down to block the attack, holding X's charge back easily. X strains to break through Eriror's guard as the swordsman deflects his strike. With a twist of his wrists, Eriror pushes the fans away and slams the flat of his blade into X's side, the powerful blow knocking X airborne for a brief moment as he is catapulted away. He lands in a heap. attempting to catch his breath through the sharp pain of several broken ribs. _My attacks don't even faze him. I'm moving like normal again, but there's no power behind it... Dammit, this could get bad._

Eriror relaxes from his guard position and stands, casually hefting his weapon as he looks at X with contempt."Hmph. Even with a portion of your power returned, you're still a weakling. This isn't worth my time..." Eriror says, charging his Zanba as he prepares another attack. He tilts the blade over his left shoulder, then spins and slashes, sending a whirlwind of energy at X. The attack moves so quickly that X is unable to dodge, and he gets caught up in the swirling vortex. Eriror plants his Zanba point-down in the ground, charging a massive Foie with two hands. As the sphere of fire becomes as large as Eriror's body, he launches it at X. When the pyrokinetic blast makes contact with the energy whirlwind, it explodes, consuming X in a gout of devastating flame.

"Arrggh!" X cries as the attack fades, leaving him slumped on the ground. He stands slowly, black wisps of energy flickering around his form. He grabs the shreds of his disguise and tosses them aside, revealing a lightly-armored blue battle suit underneath. He replaces his fans in their capsules, then pours his technique energy into the conduit link. A spark of energy shoots from his body as a single black wing emerges from his back. Frightened onlookers stare at him as he rises above the pavement, a black halo of energy forming within his cupped hands.

"My physical strength is weakened, but I can still do...this!" X says as he hurls a Demon Roar at Eriror's face. Eriror reacts quickly, blocking the dark halo on his Zanba. He is pushed back as the attack exerts its force, culminating in an explosion that leaves him reeling. As the smoke clears, Eriror's uniform is in tatters and his Zanba is scorched. He begins running to the side as X fires off a series of Demon Roars, the multiplying blast front from the numerous explosions hitting Eriror and knocking him to the ground.

X focuses his technique energy, his body glowing with a dark aura. As Eriror stands, X dives at him, nailing him with a powerful kick to the chin. X follows up with a flurry of punches to the chest, a knee to the stomach and a point-blank Demon Roar that sends Eriror flying.

"Still want to be arrogant? Seriously...arrogant Hunters with oversized swords are so overdone." X says, hovering with his arms crossed. Eriror gets to his feet by leaning on his Zanba, then slings it on his back. He wipes a trail of blood from his mouth with his forearm, then begins rapid-firing Foies at X. X blocks the fireballs with a bored look on his face, the techniques exploding harmlessly on the energy charged around his hands. Distracted, he doesn't notice Eriror drawing a small device from his pocket.

X flies at Eriror, charging a Demon Roar with each hand. He is caught off-guard, and is unable to dodge as Eriror hits him in the chest with a pink beam of light from the device. X is knocked back by the ray, and hits the ground as his conduit power fades, his technique energy completely drained. _What the hell? That beam drained all my energy. Sneaky..._

X gets nailed by a swing from Eriror's Zanba as he stands, blood shooting from his mouth. He doubles over in pain as Eriror bashes him between the shoulders with the hilt of his Zanba, knocking him to his knees. "Aren't nearly as powerful without your technique energy, are you? Hmph". Eriror sniffs in derision as he kicks X in the ribs, knocking him onto his back. "Lord Zionus' technicians developed that ray to clip your wings, demon. Prepare to die!" Eriror raises his Zanba above his head, charging the massive weapon with his life energy to increase the destructive power. As he swings, he is caught in the side by a Demon Roar that knocks him over.

"Ungh. What little demonic pest is it now...?" Eriror says, turning to find Neifirst standing with her arms outstretched, palms together. A faint black aura flickers around her.

"That would be me. Are you done overcompensating yet so I can kill you?"

"Foolish woman. I am more than a match for you." Eriror says, readying his Zanba for another strike.

"Right...keep believing that. You're going to make me do something I haven't done in a long time." Nei says, taking a wide-legged stance as she picks up her Twin Blaze.

"Something you haven't done in a long time? What, not be a disgusting half-breed abomination?"

Neifirst's only reply is a scream of rage as sparks of black lightning shoot from her body. The pavement around her cracks as her eyes turn a glassy black, waves of power rushing from her body. The faint aura grows in size and intensity, changing to a deep purple as the flame of her Twin Blaze is extinguished. It reignites as she unleashes the full power of her conduit, blazing with a dark purple flame. Before Eriror can react, she has disappeared in a flash of dark energy.

Eriror looks around him coolly, trying to find where Nei escaped to. As he turns back towards X, he is caught by a brutal kick to the face. Nei appears suddenly in front of him, seeming to materialize from the shadows. She pummels him mercilessly, knocking the Zanba from his hands with a powerful backhanded punch. Nei moves to quickly for him to counter, warping around as she assaults him.

He doubles over as she kicks him in the stomach, then is rocked by a series of savage blows to the face and head from the dark Twin Blaze. Reeling, he is grabbed by the throat with her free hand and lifted off the ground. His hands frantically reach for Nei's wrists as she slams him to the ground.

She backs away, motioning for him to get up. Grabbing his discarded Zanba, she hurls it at him. "Come on boy. Is this the best the great "Tollaw" can do? Hmph, pathetic."

Eriror picks up his Zanba, then rushes at Neifirst with his sword held over his right shoulder, planning to flatten her with a powerful strike from his Cross-Reaper attack. Nei simply grins evilly, holding her left hand up as she lazily holds the Twin Blaze in her right hand. She begins running towards Eriror, the aura of darkness around her increasing in intensity as she channels power into her conduit.

The two collide, a flash of searing energy erupting from the conflicting energies of the conduit and the Zanba as they are pitted against each other. Neifirst ends up on the opposite side of Eriror as the flash of light fades, Eriror kneeling on the ground with a pool of blood around him. The Twin Blaze is embedded in his left shoulder to the middle of the handle, the ends still smoldering with a purple flame. He utters a wordless gasp as he warps away, the particles of white light fading slowly. Nei's conduit gives out as she staggers backwards, the aura disappearing as a faint smile plays on her face.

Inside the teleportation center, Zionus' guards are being mowed down by the Dreamchasers. Nova blasts an approaching group of soldiers, raking them with Yasminkov fire. Axios watches Kiara's back as the Hunewearl hacks into the teleport control center's main computer, downloading the teleportation data. A few minutes later, the three warp away in a Ryuker flash as the stolen data is put to good use by the Resistance. Zionus' guards mill about uselessly, acting like lost sheep. Their confusion is put to rest when the time-delay charges Nova planted on the mainframe explode, slagging the computer and wiping out the contingent of troopers in a gout of flame.

At the prison camp, Lucca's group has infiltrated the main complex, and is headed straight for the control center. They pass a group of Zionus' troopers that are standing in a loose semi-circle around a frightened newman girl. The guards advance, slowly backing the girl towards the wall.

"Well, looks like you're going to serve the master in one way or another, little girl. You shouldn't try to escape salvation." The lead trooper says as he steps forward, a gleam of menace in his eyes. Lucca's Ruby Bullet shot takes his head off, as her troops unleash hell on the remaining guards.

The newman girl turns to the Resistance troopers with tears of joy in her eyes. "Thank you so much! You saved me."

Lucca smiles at the girl as a few of her troopers lead her back to the area where their comrades guard the escape route.

Lucca's unit of Resistance soldiers continues forward to the main control room for the floor, where a purple and white Racaseal waits for them, clutching an Ano Rifle.

Lissandra gazes around the room, the bright flash from the instantaneous transportation leaving small stars on her field of vision for a few moments afterwards. The cold stone walls glow with a soft blue light, yet reveal nothing.

_Where...where am I? What's going on? Are the others..._

A briefly extended tendril of thought is quickly retracted as her telepathic search encounters a barrier around her location as impassable as the walls that loom over her. Letting out a soft sigh, she gets to her feet.

_Well, that answers that question. I guess this is one of those trials that were mentioned. I can't detect the others, but I'm not sensing any malice or anything either. For all my powers are revealing, I'm the only one on this forsaken rock. Might as well follow this corridor..._

Acting on her decision, she begins walking down the hallway. Ten minutes of walking take her to a large door emblazoned with faintly shining arcane symbols. As she approaches the door, a ghostly figure in white appears before her.

_Lissandra, the human that thinks she's an Esper. Or rather...the Esper that aspires to be human. Which are you, and why do you disturb the guardians of Rykros?_

Lissandra wills her heart to stop pounding as she glares at the guardian before her, the brief elation at finding another living (?) being fading away as her very existence is brought into question.

"Who are you, and what does it matter to you? My friends and I..."

_Your 'friends'? Ha. Foolish mortal child...you have no friends. Are you referring to the inept vessel for an ancient soul, the lustful monster, the murderous automaton or the hapless wanderer? Those worthless beings that accompanied you here in your mad quest for the Rings of Stars...they are not your friends. You cannot have peace with your own mind...what makes you think you are worthy to have friends...let alone be worthy of receiving the power of the Great Light! Fool...begone with you and your childish delusions of grandeur._

The apparition raises his hand, but his blast of blue fire is blocked by the crossed slicers Lissandra swiftly draws. She is pushed back by the force of the sudden attack, but is unharmed.

"I assumed this was going to be some ancient being's inane vision of a 'trial', but if all you're going to do is spout insults and throw creepy blue flames around, then this'll be easy." Raising her slicers, she fires off two photon blades that pass through the apparition effortlessly, doing no more damage than they would if fired at a cloud of smoke.

_Idiot mortal. You are not worthy to face the trials. Face your own fears...if you make it past them, you might be deemed worthy. Or more likely, there will be no miracle today and you will fail, becoming trapped forever in the labyrinth of your own doubt. Begone!_

Instead of a coherent burst of flame, the apparition's attack takes the form of a cloud of blue dust that envelops Lissandra, causing her world to go black. When she awakens, a rough-hewn wooden wall is inches from her face. Looking around, an ethereal vision of herself as a child peeks through a small knothole in the wooden wall of her childhood home. This particular hiding spot overlooked the dining room, where her parents are having a heated conversation with the owner of the trinket shop down the street from her home.

"That girl's a demon, I tell you! We should contact the Espers...she needs to be exorcised!" the grizzled old man says, shaking his fist at her father.

Her father gazes down his long nose, regarding the man coldly...as he did everyone else. "We're going to punish her, and the damage to your store has been repaired. What more do you want?"

"A hellion that'll unleash her powers when a dog barks at her is too dangerous to be kept in this town. Mark my words, Redah...that girl'll cause more trouble soon."

Lissandra's mother let out a sharp, piercing laugh. "No, she won't. Her...problem will be resolved, and I'd thank you to let us raise our daughter how we choose. Like we let you run your store how you chose when you ran up those unfortunate debts to our company. Please leave, before old debts need to be remembered."

The shopkeeper gasps, but turns quickly to leave, all the while mumbling curses under his breath.

"Have a nice day." Liss's father says as the butler appears to show the man out. As the man leaves, Redah strides over to the wall, picking up a short riding crop from the wall. With anger in his eyes, he starts for the door, mentally reviewing a list of his only daughter's favorite hiding places. His hand on the door, he is stopped by his wife.

"Honey...let me handle this. You didn't whip her as a child, and doing it now when she's beginning to become a woman will have no effect on her but making her angrier."

"I suppose you're right, Kathlyn, but we can't just let her have her way. If she continues that witchery, I'll have to remind her who's in charge here." Redah replies.

"Oh, I fully intend to punish her. I'll just make it more appropriate."

Lissandra watches her younger self run away, tears running down the wispy child's face. She winces as she remembers her mother's lesson in 'control'. She'd been unable to walk for a week afterwards, her mother making her stand with her back to the wall while balancing three heavy books on her head and holding a serving tray in each hand. Every time she slumped or her hands fell below her ears, she'd been berated and made to do it again, until she was able to hold the pose for three hours straight. Her mother explained her being bedridden at her 14th birthday party as a cold.

_I...didn't mean to damage the store..._she thinks, remembering the incident well. She'd been walking along outside the store, daydreaming as usual. The harsh bark of an attack dog leaping at her made her panic, and as the animal's slavering muzzle and sharp fangs came at her face, she reacted unconsciously, **pushing** outward with her thoughts.

The dog had been hurled away, and the front wall of the shopkeep's store had been reduced to splinters. She'd woken up with dirt on her face, as the new strain of using her powers had made her lose consciousness and fall to the ground. The group of scared onlookers around her had summoned the city guard, not quite knowing what had happened. Lissandra's part in the debacle had been revealed by a short, rat-faced boy named Jacen who swore that "the witch girl" did it. With this accusation, her weekly trips to the library were soon brought up, seen in a new light as her parents assumed that reading the History of the Espers was having a negative effect on her. Her parents had paid for the shopkeeper's wall, then took her home and locked her in her room without dinner. Jacen continued to throw rocks at the dog after the crowd dispersed.

The tableau of the hidden cubby-hole faded as another memory swam into view. _Jacen always was a trouble-maker...but we were both outcasts._ The dim glow of a burning building appears, the local school house spewing great gouts of flame. _I saw Jacen playing with the matches, but I didn't tell anyone. When he got beat up by those kids, I yelled at them to leave him alone. I assumed that they were the ones who told on me sneaking back into the building to fix Jacen's demerit for fighting. Too bad that my parents thought that was more evidence of my..."witchery"._

I'm lucky the town court found me innocent, but my parents didn't believe them. I was nearly disowned for that. Jacen told me before I left that he burned the place so he wouldn't have to put up with them anymore. Lissandra watches as a slightly older version of herself is whipped for her 'crime'. Tears well up in her eyes as other incidents come back to her.

_Dammit...I thought I made my peace with my childhood when I joined the Espers. I thought that even though my own people hated me...someone would take me in. But if I was really as "at peace" with this as I thought, then why...why does it still hurt so much?_ Sinking into the corner, her arms wrapped around herself as she begins sobbing, the view of the courthouse fades.

The apparition appears as she continues to cry. _We haven't magnified the emotions you felt that much, girl. We've simply brought them back into view for you. If you truly believe you aren't a demon like they say, then why do you have so much trouble sticking to that? Stop lying to yourself, or rot in the hell of your own mind._

Anger gives Lissandra the strength to stand, but that strength is sapped as the disappearing guardian changes the scene to her parent's parlor again, on the day Jacen asked to marry her. She'd grown into a beautiful young woman, but her rapidly growing powers had become harder and harder to control. When Jacen proposed, four vases, a carafe of water and a large mural have been destroyed by the time she'd managed to run from the room.

_He'd become a "successful young man" according to father. He thought that I should marry someone "successful", in order to have a "good life." Reading the horribly perverse thoughts running through Jacen's head were bad enough, but sensing that my family just wanted to marry me off and get rid of me hurt even worse. Jacen was the other favorite target of our classmates, when I wasn't around. I sympathized with him, but that didn't mean I liked him. He was a cruel, heartless, vindictive man then, and he grew into something even worse. No wonder my father approved of him..._

The ghostly apparition appears before her again as she sits, lost in thought.

_You ran away, didn't you? Ran from the people that hated you. But you told yourself it was temporary...that you'd come back when you were 'worthy.' But you never found yourself 'worthy.' You never believed you'd ever have to face your past again. You didn't even go to your parent's funeral. You thought you could just run away from your obligations, run away from everything. But the doubt remained. If you wish to seek the Rings of Stars, and wish to fulfill your unrealistic ambitions of saving the world, you need to be able to look at your past, look at yourself without cowering in the corner and going into hysterics. Heroes aren't perfect, but at least they have the bravery to see the world as it truly is. If you wish to save the world, you would do well to actually see the world you are trying to save._ The apparition finishes his lecture, smiling sardonically at her as he fades out.

The familiar surroundings of the Esper Mansion swim into being around her, the pristine white halls coalescing before her. The haughty, blue-haired man that nearly expelled her when she showed up, half-frozen at the doors popped into being, staring at her with the same withering glare he always used on her. He'd eventually become one of her teachers after Jadrek ordered them to take her in, but she always got the feeling that he never really liked her. Other images quickly followed, of all the times she'd been snubbed, stared at or outright told she didn't belong there. Overhearing the whispers of some of her teachers as she was selected to go in the warp gate, saying..."At least she's expendable..."

"Not all of them were mean to me. Jadrek and Yokote...they were always nice to me." She spoke aloud to the apparition, whose presence could be faintly felt nearby.

_Yes, but are two people being 'nice' to you worth risking your life for? You are still laboring under the misconception that 'saving the world' will make you some kind of hero, and that all those that tormented you for your abilities or your human heritage will look at you with some kind of respect. This is not some sort of magical cure-all, and performing this feat will not make you be loved. Are you truly ready to risk your life to obtain something you cannot use, for the sole purpose of being loved by people who won't even know you did anything?_

"Something I cannot use?"

_Yes, stupid girl. The Rings of Stars are only usable by those whom are judged compatible and worthy. You may eventually prove yourself to be worthy (and the infernal pits may freeze over), but you will never be compatible. Your quest to obtain these is simply for someone else's use. You are nothing more than an errand-girl._

"But obtaining these will allow Sage and the others to take on Zionus, right?"

_Perhaps, if they are proven worthy. But these..."others" you speak of...heh. Only the one you call Sage is even remotely capable of using the Rings, and he is still undergoing his trials. It remains to be seen if there are any champions worthy left to even use the rings. The dark one who used them recently...his role in the great wheel of destiny has changed, and neither he nor his companions are allowed to use them again. It would be ironic indeed if you fools risk your lives for something that none can use._

"But we have to try! We can't just let Zionus get away with his madness."

_Why, pray tell...do you care? You've never even seen this being. His actions have had no direct effect on you. You've only encountered him mentally. Besides...you are supposed to serve the Great Light, even if it's current avatar is unbalanced and seeking to cleanse the universe of all life. Do you think that if you latch on to Sage's quest that he will somehow come to care for you?_

Aha...that is it...heheheheh. Idiotic mortal...I can read it as clear as day in your thoughts. You think that if you help him, you'll find some place you belong, and someone to care for you. You're gambling your life on a mad errand to obtain something that the boy you're infatuated with might be able to use, to take on the being you are supposedly serving. In all my years, this is the most hilarious thing I have ever encountered. If I still had a physical body, my sides would ache from laughter.

Lissandra glares at the apparition, finding a familiar pattern to his insults. "So...you think I'm doing this because I have some idealized view of the world? You're wrong. I realize that the world is a harsh, cruel place. I know that no one will come to love me or respect me just because I helped obtain the Rings. But this is the path that is laid before me, and it allows me to help those around me, even those that hurt me. Just because they aren't nice, or kind, or good doesn't mean that some madman has the right to erase them from existence. 

People have free will for a reason. Though some choose to abuse that, or to give it up...some do not. Those are the ones I'm fighting for. I'm doing this because I still have hope. I don't expect anything from this, but I'm here and I can do something. That counts. I'll forge my own path from this, but as for now...I'm making this my path. You, nor anyone else has any right to take that choice from me. Now either show me this trial or get the hell out of my way so I can find someone who is good for more than flinging insults and preying on my self-doubt."

The apparition smiles at her, then snaps his fingers. _"Hmm...perhaps you are tougher than I thought. The other guardians said you were stronger than you looked, despite your doubts, but I didn't believe them. I wanted to see for myself. You've managed to overcome the doubts of your mind, amplified by my powers a thousand times over. You've also managed to put into words what was only a vague sensation at the back of your mind. I knew all along you were fighting for the freedom for you and others to choose a path, not expecting that to lead to good things for yourself. You've nearly given up on seeing your love of free will pay off, but the fact that you persevere in that despite being proven wrong says a lot about your determination. I applaud you. You've passed the first test. Now, onto the trial-by-combat. Good luck, mortal. May your stubbornness serve you well. Hopefully you'll find somewhere you belong._

Before she can reply, she is warped to a large room. The room is dominated by ornate statues placed at equal intervals every few feet. Two faintly glowing blue pillars of light appear, forming into identical copies of Jacen's warsuit. She dodges behind a nearby statue as the copies open fire.

_I'm still not quite sure what that was all about. It did help me put into words what I was feeling, but...oh well. No time to worry about that now. I have more pressing issues to handle._

Ayame slowly awakens, rolling onto her side and blinking a few times. Shaking her head to clear it, she casts a quick Resta, letting the green glow ease the aching in her body. When the pavement in front of her stops seeming like it's moving, she slowly gets to her feet. Looking around, she sees torn-up pavement and other signs of a battle. Eriror was nowhere to be found.

_That weird guy's gone. I wonder what happened? And where are...? Uh-oh._

Seeing the still bodies of X and Neifirst, she rushes over to them. She reaches X first, casting a quick Reverser. By the time she gets to Neifirst, X has started to regain consciousness. As she administers the second healing technique, she glances around at the destruction. 

_Wow...looks like a big fight went down. That Eriror guy hit me pretty hard. Guess Uncle X and Ms. Nei beat him up after I got knocked out._

"Where's that Eriror loser...?" X asks groggily as he unsteadily gets to his feet.

"I took care of him." Nei replies as she stands up. Reaching into her belt, she withdraws a Trifluid and uses it. The Trifluid turns the pounding in her head to a slight ache as her technique energy is restored. "Gee, how do you two do this conduit stuff all the time? It's really draining..."

"You used your conduit?" X stares incredulously at Neifirst as he says this.

"Yeah...I took him out pretty easily. He was strong for a idiotic human, but nothing too bad." Nei says as she looks around. "Hmm...his backup might still be around. We should probably get out of here."

In answer to her statement, a group of around fifty of Zionus' troops warps in directly in front of them, blocking their route to the safety of the Resistance Headquarters.

"Thanks, Nei. You just had to tempt fate, didn't you...?" X glares as the three take off running in the opposite direction.

"Keep talking brat. You're tempting fate now. I don't have to worry about ruining your disguise when I hit you now!"

"Grr..."

"Um, where are we running to, Uncle? They could have us trapped if we keep this up. Can't we just teleport?" Ayame says as the three cut around a corner and dart up an alley, the group of soldiers hot on their heels.

"Can you manage a Hinas right now, Ayame...?"

"No, not really. The Reversers made me all woozy, and I'm out of fluids."

"Dammit. I had one left...but I used it to get rid of this horrid headache." Nei says.

"Well, looks like we're running for it. I know a good place to lay low for a bit, and get some new disguises." X says, leading the group into a warren of back alleys.

Outside a nondescript building in Pioneer 2's government district, a lone figure cases the building from a nearby alley. Seeing that the area is nearly deserted, JiEin steps out from his surveillance point and heads toward the building. The deserted state of the area has been caused by most of the buildings being taken over by Zionus' followers. The few workers that have not relocated to other areas are working for Zionus.

_This should be easy enough. An upgrade to the Ji Sword was being worked on when I left government service. Elly told me that it was finished, but I never really had any need to use it. But...obtaining it from these fanatics that have taken over shouldn't be that hard. Here goes._

"Excuse me, sir? Where can I go to find Zionus?" JiEin says to the door guard as he steps toward the door, still in his human guise.

"The way of Zionus is an internal one, brought on by much devotion and-urk." The guard slumps as JiEin's precise blow to the stomach doubles him over.

_I'll have to remember that. I didn't think it'd work. Seems if I can just keep these fanatics talking, they tend to not focus on much else. It's as if Zionus has...hmm._

JiEin drags the unconscious guard off to the nearby alley, and a few minutes later emerges dressed in his uniform.

_These fleshie garments are so strange. Far too confining. How do they even move in them?_ Wearing a uniform two sizes too small for his frame, he looks rather odd, yet the receptionist inside is too distracted to seemingly notice his presence. She takes in the uniform, then waves him back, returning to her computer with a dull gaze.

Stepping into the main elevator, he descends to the R & D lab level. A quick mental review of the schematic reminds him of where the Ji-series development lab is. A lab coat pilfered from the first unfortunate scientist he encounters disguises him well, and he easily slips past the seemingly brain-dead guards to his destination.

As JiEin reaches his destination, a black-plated Hucaseal watches his progress on a monitor.

"Excuse me, is that lab worker assigned to be in that section of the lab?" Shard asks.

"Oh, no ma'am. That section is closed off due to the orders of the master. All projects of use there have been moved."

"Very well. I shall go investigate."

Without another word, Shard unclips a silvery double-saber handle from her waist and steps out the door, heading to intercept the intruder.

JiEin reaches the R & D lab, then immediately heads for a series of locked equipment cabinets on the far wall. One is marked with the designation JI-05. JiEin walks over, places his palm on the lock and transmits a special signal from his processor, then proceeds to enter in a long security code. With a faint click, the lock springs open. Inside is a red box with no markings. He removes it, then closes the lockbox behind him. A quick perusal of the box's contents reveals a sword hilt and several attachments that look to be power amplifiers.

_So, they finished the upgrade modules. Too bad this won't work with the 'loaner' frame I'm in at the moment. I'll have to wait til Elly fixes my frame and the Ji Sword. Time to lea...eh?_

As JiEin had turned to leave, Shard entered the room.

"Halt, intruder! Present identification immediately, or be struck down."

"Oh, hello there ninjabot. How are you on this fine day? My ID is...somewhere... give me a moment..." JiEin replies, as Shard ignites her weapon to prove her point. The twin purple photon blades that extrude from each end of the weapon speak of heavy modification. After a bit of fumbling in the lab coat's pocket, he finds an ID card. With his other hand, hidden in the coat's other pocket, he releases two traps into his hand. Palming the two traps, he slowly withdraws both hands.

"Oh, I found it. Here you go." JiEin says, removing the ID card and extending his left hand, holding the card.

"Bring it here, now!" Shard snaps.

_Well, too bad she's not as foolish as the others..._JiEin thinks, as he readies his traps. Handing the card to Shard with one hand, he hurls the two traps toward the floor, leaping backward as they explode. The Fire Trap creates a smokescreen, exacerbated by the delayed blast of a Confusion Trap. His dash toward the door is stopped by a vicious roundhouse kick from Shard, who lets out a short, sharp laugh as JiEin crashes into the wall.

"Really...did you think that would work? Cure/Confuse is so useful... I'll eliminate you now." Readying her weapon, she rushes at JiEin, who is still coaxing his battered stock frame off of the floor. He barely manages to bring his Red Partisan up in time to block her swing, forced swiftly back down to one knee as she overpowers him. The sparks blind him briefly as Shard kicks him again, knocking him aside. As he slowly gets to his feet, she stands with her Double Buster at the ready.

"Hmm...why are you disguised as a human, JiEin? It's not very good for a disguise."

"...That's not what the door guards said."

"Well, then they will be punished for such a foolish oversight. And I'm assuming that is who you are, because what other android would both be able to access the Ji-series R & D lab and be foolish enough to try? Now, come to your death. The master has wanted you killed ever since you presumed to stop him a few days ago."

One hand on the wall and the support of his Red Partisan enable him to get to his feet, his torso dented from Shard's harsh kicks. A quick Trimate restores him to optimum movement ability, though his standard frame still creaks in protest at his continued movement.

_This would be a severe challenge even if I had my regular frame. At this point...it's likely impossible to beat her. By brute force means, anyway._

Labyrinth surveys the remnants of the fanatic group. Most of them lie on the ground, immobilized by Seize weapons. The few stragglers have been knocked unconscious with Drain weapons. The battle was quick and rather intense. Gathering up his troops, they form a defensive ring and warp back to Resistance Headquarters.

Inside the prison, Lucca faces off with Kimiko. Her troopers continue forward to rescue the prisoners as she stays to stall Kimiko.

"Well...do you wish to play that badly? If so, I'd be happy to oblige." Drawing her Ano rifle, Kimiko snaps off several shots at Lucca, who dodges out of the way and returns fire. Her shots strike Kimiko, who simply laughs.

"Too weak, fleshie. Try again." Lucca responds to the taunt by casting Jellen and Zalure on Kimiko, but the weakening techniques are quickly removed with a single Anti casting.

"What? How did you...?" Lucca asks, astonished.

The Fonewm responsible steps out from behind a control console, clad in the white uniform of one of Zionus' followers.

"Ms. Kimiko. I shall support you. Capture this infidel for the glory of the master."

"This'll be over quickly, don't worry." Kimiko says in a mocking tone as she begins firing rapidly at Lucca, who uses the nearby consoles for cover. As she pops up to fire a Ruby Bullet shot, a gust of air blows her hair across her face. She fires at where Kimiko was, but the Racaseal is gone. Lucca turns, receiving the butt of Kimiko's Ano Rifle to her face. As she reaches a hand up to her face to cast Resta, Kimiko kicks her in the stomach, then clubs her viciously across the neck as the Ramarl doubles over, knocking her to the ground, unconscious .

"Stupid human. I can move far, far faster than your pathetic senses can detect. I think I might have overdone it though. You are way too fragile. Oh well, if you're damaged goods, I'll have to kill ya. Sorry." Kimiko levels her Ano Rifle at the back of Lucca's head. As she prepares to fire, the Fonewm-turned acolyte of Zionus rushes over.

"The master wishes her captured alive, Ms. Kimiko."

"Well, he also said I'd get to kill something. So...smile!"

Kimiko blasts a smoking hole in the priest's head, then gathers up her captive.

"The objective is complete. Kill the remaining troops, and convert the prisoners."

"But...ma'am...the soldiers have already escaped with the prisoners."

"Dammit. Alright...the main objective has been completed." Kicking the corpse of the priest out of her way, Kimiko kneels, picks up Lucca's battered form, then casually strolls into the control room with the unconscious Ramarl slung over her shoulder.

On the streets of Pioneer 2, X has led Neifirst and Ayame to a residential area. Stepping to the front door, he presses the doorbell. It is quickly answered by Rubia.

"Hi mom."

"Hello Xaelis. You look awful. And why do you look like you've been running away from someone? Did the girl's father catch you, or something?" Rubia asks, as she ushers X, Ayame and Neifirst inside.

"No. We've been running from those Zionus fanatics."

"Oh yes, them. Why were you working for that psycho?"

"He captured me and brainwashed me." X replies, as Rubia closes the door behind them.

"Hmm. He seems to be doing that a lot lately. Shouldn't you be off saving us all, dear? And would you like something to drink?"

"I'm...no match for Zionus. Not in my current state. He drained my powers when he captured me, and used the stolen power to create a copy."

"Well, he definitely sounds like a tough one. Rather insane, too. Are there any plans to deal with him?" Rubia asks.

"Someone is retrieving the Rings of Stars. We'll know more then." is X's answer.

"Alright. Just don't push yourself too hard. Who are your new friends? The Ramarl looks vaguely familiar..."

"That's not a Ramarl, mom."

"Ramar, then."

"..." Nei fumes, as X moves over to intercept her mid-leap. Restraining the furious newman, he whispers into her ear. "Hey Nei. Be a dear and don't rip out my mom's throat, k?"

"I'm not making any promises." Nei says, glaring.

Turning from Neifirst, X replies. "This is Neifirst. She's in disguise, since whenever any of us step out on the street we get mobbed by the psychos."

"Oh...well, it's a good Ramar disguise, then."

"I'm...supposed...to be ...a **Ramarl!**" Nei growls in frustration as X attempts to hold her back.

"Well dear, you should try to accentuate your figure some more. It's nothing to be ashamed of. A lot of girls don't have it. And your face..."

"What's wrong with my face!" Nei snarls, staring daggers at Rubia.

"It's so filled with anger...very butch. Oh, oh, there's this girl at my work. You two would hit it off wonderfully-"

"X, let me go!"

"Relax Nei, she does this to everyone." X says, as Neifirst struggles for a few moments more. Finally, she gives in.

"Ok...but I get to beat the living hell out of you when we get out of this. No Demon Roaring." Nei whispers.

"Tch...fine." X answers.

"Well, the disguise was a good effort I suppose. But...one last thing." Rubia says.

"Yes...?" Nei answers, through gritted teeth.

"There's this girl in the class I teach. She's trying to come out. Maybe you could come talk to her and tell her how it was for you?"

Nei's only reply is an incoherent burst of rage as she storms out of the living room.

"Is she always that rude...?" Rubia asks after a few seconds.

"..." X replies.

"Well, anyway. Who's your new catch? She's quite attractive. Do you ever date anyone but Hunewearls?" Rubia asks, turning to Ayame.

X simply sighs and looks at the floor, cradling his forehead in exasperation.

"Oh, what's wrong dear? Don't be embarrassed...I met your last girlfriend, and this one's much cuter. You have nothing to be ashamed of."

"Mom..." X begins, as Ayame simply stares.

"X, seriously now. If you have an adult relationship with a girl, don't be afraid of admitting it. She looks like a keeper. More womanly that your last girlfriend, and much more polite."

A blood vessel on X's forehead swells ominously as Rubia continues her perusal.

"And I like the outfit. A bit...revealing, but she actually has the figure to wear it. For once."

"Mom...that's..."

"Fashion sense, beauty and manners. Aha! I know why you're so embarrassed. You moved up too many levels. You don't feel like you deserve someone so much better-looking than your last girlfriend. Am I right?"

"Mom, please...just..."

"Xaelis. Seriously now." Rubia moves over to sit by Ayame, placing her tea on the coffee table. "You don't have to be embarrassed or coy. I know the two of you have probably broken at least as many beds as Wryval and I did."

"Um..." Ayame hesitantly speaks up, as X is mumbling incoherently under his breath.

"What is it, dear? You don't have to be shy, either. Has Xaelis put a ring on your finger yet? You'll have to forgive him...he's rather irresponsible."

"But, I..."

"Oh, you aren't ready for that yet? Don't worry about it, although I would like to see some grandchildren out of him at some point. You certainly have the hips for it. I was a little worried when I met his last girlfriend, but it turns out he does prefer a womanly figure in the end."

Turning to X, she continues " Really, you'll do so much better with a nice, lithe, voluptuous young lady like this."

X is now curled up on the floor, rocking back and forth.

"Uncle, am I too old to repress memories now?" Ayame asks the unresponsive X.

"I thought the term these days was 'daddy'-wait. What did you say your name was again, dear?" Rubia asks with a look of growing surprise on her face.

"Oh, Ms. Rubia, don't you remember me?" Ayame says, as Rubia takes a drink of her tea.

"It's me, Ayame."

Surprise turns to utter horror as Rubia gasps.The tea that Rubia spit out as she choked in surprise sprayed against the far wall. "Xaelis, you cradle-robber!" She yells as she jumps to her feet.

"Ms. Rubia...I'm not his girlfriend. He's my uncle. That's just...gross. And Aunt Leah would get really mad. Besides...his hair's too long." Ayame says as Rubia rails at her son.

X, recovering from the utter shock, slowly gets to his feet as Rubia backs off. "Wait... My hair is too long! What do you mean my hair's too long? Not that I want you to think of me that way- dammit mom! Look what you have me thinking of now. Ewwwww..."

Sitting down, Rubia looks rather embarrassed. "Sorry about that. I just...when did you grow up so much? I last saw you about six months ago."

"Oh, a few days ago. Dr. Hahn put me in a tube, and when I came out I looked like this."

"Plastic surgery, at your age? That's going a bit overboard, dear. You were just a slow developer." Rubia says soothingly.

"It gave me all sorts of new powers too. And Ms. Nei says that I can control boys now. I guess that's one of the new powers. She taught me this really cool special move. It's called fakin-" Ayame replies.

"NEI! I'm going to kill you!" X screams as he darts from the living room.

"So...you're dressed as a Hunewearl, and Neifirst is a Ramar."

"Ramarl."

"Whatever. What was Xaelis' disguise?" Rubia asks.

"Oh, he went as a Fomarl! It looked really cool." Ayame beams, as Rubia gets a concerned look on her face.

"I knew it. I never should have let Wryval buy him that Fomar dress. It's screwed him up for life. And the hairdressing job..." Rubia says, as X and Nei, both battered and bruised, come back into the house.

"Um...what?" X asks as he and Nei slump down in two of the remaining seats.

"X, how long have you been wearing dresses?" Rubia says, fixing X with a piercing stare.

"What! Oh, the disguise. It was a good disguise, and I had to come up with something."

"Xaelis, you need to be honest with yourself. If you like to wear women's clothing that much, there's no reason to be ashamed about it. Come on, I'll help you get 'disguised' again." Grabbing her son by the arm, she drags him to his feet and leads him down the hall.

Ayame and Nei exchange ironic looks, then burst out laughing.

In the R & D lab, JiEin is running through a plan as he stalls for time.

"So...why are you here?" he says, settling into a battle stance.

"To guard the place. Why are you stalling? A freeze trap won't hold me for long...I wouldn't suggest you try it." Shard says, crouching slightly with her Twin Buster extended in front of her. "It'll only delay the inevitable."

"Alright. Well, let's get this over with." JiEin says, as Shard simply leaps at him. He sidesteps, then swings at her in mid-air, the blade of his Red Partisan deflecting her overhead slash with one blade. She comes down, then twists the Twin Buster sharply, getting in a shallow cut on JiEin's side.

She spins as she slashes, the momentum of her cut turning her completely around for a savage stab. JiEin raises his Red Partisan to block the blow, but shoves the non-bladed end at her shin at the last second, sending her off balance. Her weapon crashes into the wall, as she is unable to stop her thrust. The sizzling photonic blade plunges into the wall to the hilt as JiEin backs away.

"Hmmph. You aren't used to a partisan, are you?" Shard asks as she pulls her blade from the wall.

"No, actually I'm far too used to them. I find them all the time. But...shall we continue? You haven't killed me yet." JiEin says, backing up towards the wall.

"A situation I plan to fix very soon." Shard replies as she edges towards JiEin, twirling her weapon. The dual blades create a wall of deadly purple energy as she approaches. A few half-hearted stabs by JiEin are easily deflected as she closes in. She feints with her blade, then lunges in a powerful punch at JiEin's head. He barely moves aside in time, slashing at her torso as her hand becomes embedded in the wall. She rips it out, crushing a bit of wall plating in her hand. JiEin takes this brief opportunity to hurl a trap at the ceiling, next to the sprinkler system's detection area.

Shard advances on him again, stalking him relentlessly. JiEin looks around, then grabs a scanning apparatus from a table behind him and hurls it at her. The machinery is instantly slagged by her lightning-fast block. She draws closer, the Twin Buster spinning rapidly. Her rapid-fire attacks gouge a few holes in JiEin's frame before he finally manages to block, the photon blades of the weapons sparking as each tests the other's strength. Shard easily overpowers him, then boots him in the chest to push him back before delivering a solid kick with her other leg that sends him flying.

"This ends now!" Shard cries as she charges full-speed. JiEin fumbles with the emitter of his Partisan for a moment, then unexpectedly throws the weapon at her. The tumbling red spear is deflected by her weapon, sent spinning blade first into JiEin's trap. The explosion sets off the sprinkler system, spraying Shard with water.

"What is this supposed to do, exactly? I'm waterproof." Shard snips, as she begins to walk forward. Her movement triggers the proximity alarm on the freeze trap attached to the Red Partisan, which siphons power from the Partisan's freezing unit to send out a blast of chilling air, turning the soaked Shard into a solid statue of ice.

JiEin takes the opportunity to run, as Shard tries to break free of her icy prison. He makes it out of the building, appropriating a Dragon Slayer sword from a guard on his way out. He manages to get a few blocks away before the combined efforts of Shard and the guards break the Hucaseal free. By the time they resume the search, JiEin is long gone.

On Ragol, Yokote materializes in an ornate hallway, filled with large stone statues. The statue of a young woman holding an upraised sword is the most prominent, flanked by several others statues of different people with varying heroic looks on their faces.

A glowing figure in archaic robes appears before him, speaking into his mind.

_Welcome...to the Hall of Heroes. You who seek the Rings of Stars...you will be tested. You have a pure heart, not nearly as conflict-ridden as your companions. But is your inner strength truly as great as it seems? Are you truly even in the same league as the heroes of old? We shall see._

With a slight motion of his hand, the apparition disappears.

_Well, that was odd._ Yokote thinks. Seconds later, a portion of the wall in front of him shimmers, transforming into a glowing archway. Absolute darkness stares at him from within the archway, as the apparation's voice urges him inside. He complies, and is transported to a serene field of flowers. A towering obelisk dominates the landscape. As he walks to the portal, the glowing figure of a woman steps out from the other side of the obelisk.

**You...seek the Rings. We shall see if you are truly strong enough.**

The woman suddenly punches the ground, leaving a shimmering dark hole that quickly spreads, radiating lines of darkness cracking the landscape like glass. Yokote falls for a long time, landing on what seems to be a vast platform hovering over an endless abyss.

**Prove yourself. Face the challenges of the heroes of old.** With a scream that could seemingly tear the fabric of reality itself, a large mutated...thing appears from the abyss, flying upward on a radiating photon circle. It lands, screaming again as it brandishes an arm full of spiky appendages. Its other arm ends in a hand with wicked claws, a black portal glowing it its palm. The massive creature towers over him, its legs bigger than his entire body. Its shiny, dark purple skin is covered with dark grey armored plates over most of its surface, the entire thing reflecting the faint light from the platform.

It roars, then fires a beam of scarlet light from its mouth, searing the platform where Yokote stood as he leaps away. He ignites his sabers as a series of yellow beams fire from the creature's back, flying into the air. Seconds later, a hellstorm of flaming blasts strike the platform, sending Yokote flying. He manages to avoid the brunt of the blasts, but the shockwave bowls him over.

Before he can move away, the creature fires its red energy beam again, sweeping the destructive ray towards Yokote. He blocks it with his crossed sabers, pushing with all his might to hold back the beam. Pinned as he is, he is unable to avoid the cascade of flames that rain down upon him.

Lorna finds herself transported to a stone hallway deep within the tower of trials. She looks around, finding a dimly glowing figure at the end of the hallway. The man is dressed in white robes, and although he glows with a faint light, he is not...quite... transparent. She heads toward him, her cape gently swishing along the stone floor. As she approaches, the figure speaks into her head.

_Greetings. You who seek the Rings of Stars...you must be tested._

"Oh, that's nice. Say...who are you? So handsome for a ghost."

_I am one of the Guardian Spirits of Rykros. I served the light during my mortal life, and now my soul lives on-_

"Really? So your soul was so strong that it was able to maintain its coherency through the ages...fascinating." Lorna interrupts as she stops walking, briefly looking him up and down before continuing onward, a small smile of approval on her face.

_Yes, but that has nothing to do with the trials._ The figure says as Lorna slinks closer, a mischevious gleam in her eyes.

"Such a strong, willful...masterful presence you have." She says, licking her lips. She smiles at the guardian as she continues."I can sense your energy without really trying. That intrigues me..." Lorna replies, moving to arm's length from the figure.

_The guardian stares at her for a moment as she initiates a mind touch._

_"Well, I'm certain there are plenty of rigorous trials I'll have to go through, and all that. But there are some things I'd rather discuss first. The nature of light and darkness, for one."_ Lorna says, reaching out a hand to hover near the guardian's hand as she continues her mind-link.

_What do you mean...?_ the guardian says, taken aback.

"Well, you see...Light and Darkness are two parts of one whole. They're opposites that are split apart. When they come together, something wonderful happens. This interplay of opposites is reflected in many, many aspects of mortal life..." Lorna states, continuing the mind link as she switches back to normal speech. By this point, she has slid her arms around the guardian's neck, pulling herself close. 

"Wow...for an intangible spirit guardian, you certainly are solid. So warm." Lorna says, smiling brightly. "But I'm certain it gets lonely guarding this tower for eons with no company. And if you were originally human, some aspects of humanity are hard to simply discard so easily." With this, she stares seductively at the guardian.

_I...your trial..._

"Oh, can't we talk about that later? I'll do whatever you ask of me, if you do me just one tiny little favor..."Lorna replies, leaning in to softly touch her face to the guardian's neck.

The look of surprise on the guardian's face fades from view as Lorna mentally dims the lights in the hallway.

Sage stands with a look of total exasperation on his face.

_"Ok Lutz, enough already! I don't need to know the detailed history behind these techniques. Just being able to use them will be enough for now. You can give me the history lesson later..."_

_"...very well. But the 'history lesson', as you so amply put it, is rather important."_ Lutz replies, a tone of defeat in his voice. _"I must admit, you learned fairly quickly. There is one last technique for you to learn, though."_

Sage groans aloud, then switches back to telepathy. _" Argh, alright already. I've learned the Na-level techniques, Tandle, Efess and Negatis. They all just seem like upgrades to standard techs, though. What's this last one, and why's it so important? We've been at this for like two hours now..."_

"The last technique is called Legeon. It is, to my knowledge, the most destructive technique ever created. It is rather complicated to cast, and drains your technique energy quickly, but the payoff in power is proportionally a thousand times greater than any other technique."

"Sounds like that'd be pretty useful. I'm certain there's some sort of horrific downside, though. What is it?"

"Mainly the casting time and the amount of resources it takes out of the caster. It requires precise control, as you must concentrate enough technique energy to create a self-sustaining magical reaction within an enclosed space.When enough energy is built up, the reaction overloads, multiplying the destructive force of the original technique energy commited many times over."

"Right... And I do this how, exactly?" Sage asks, a perplexed look on his face.

_You must create a barrier, then concentrate opposing energies of light and dark within the barrier. The tension created within the barrier builds to a critical mass, adding power to the reaction as it proceeds until it eventually pierces the barrier, releasing the energy in a massive explosion."_

"Hmm...so I basically just pour a bunch of tech energy into one place until it starts creating energy on its own? That sounds needlessly complicated. Couldn't I just use that tech energy to make it go boom directly, instead of creating some sort of technique pipe-bomb?"

"You underestimate the power the technique will generate when the critical part of the reaction begins. It multiplies on its own after a certain point. The major energy expenditure is in holding the two opposing forces together until the reaction begins." Lutz replies. _"I shall mentally walk you through the process, but...we need a suitable target. One thing you MUST remember, though. It takes a comparatively small amount of energy to start the reaction. You must be careful to not overpower the Efess and Negatis techniques. The majority of the casting cost comes with containing the energy until it reaches critical."_

"I'll give it a shot. Can we go now?"

_"Yes, let's go."_ Lutz replies, letting out a mental sigh.

Sage continues down the hallway, coming to a door that is similar in style to the doors in the Ruins on Ragol. He steps through, into a scene from his worst nightmare. The room is packed wall-to-wall with dozens of the enhanced Delbiters he fought back on Ragol when he first encountered Zionus. As the first creature roars and charges, Sage sidesteps and fires a shot from his Yasminkov. The bullet impacts a barrier in mid-air, doing no damage.

_"Sage, remember! These monsters are impervious to physical damage. Why do you think I bothered to teach you all those techniques!"_ Lutz practically screams into his head.

Holstering his gun, Sage simply shrugs. "Yeah...sorry. I forgot. Guess I get to try those new techs out now."

_"You...forgot...? HOW!"_

"Your explanations were really long and drawn-out. I kinda...stopped listening in the middle of the history lesson. I like history, but you have a way to make even me bored."

During this internal dialogue, two more Delbiters have charged at Sage. Grinning, he extends his right palm outward, channeling energy into one of his new techs. The floor beneath the nearest Delbiter erupts as his Nafoie blast incinerates it with a burst of intense heat.

"Ha, got one."

_Sage...you do realize that if you did the technique correctly, they would all have died?"_

"What! But I did do it correctly. Here...watch me do it again."

Sage casts another Nafoie, the burst of flame puncturing the next Delbiter's torso, ripping it nearly in half.

_"You...did it right. But how can someone with such substantial telepathic and telekinetic powers have such weak techniques?"_

"Shut up, Mr. 'I Have Maximized My Mental Abilities.' Not all of us are addicted to Mind Mats, or were in a former life.

"..."

As the next Delbiter leaps at Sage, he casts Nabarta, the intense cold forming into a wide beam that fires directly at the Delbiter, encasing it in a block of ice. A few seconds later, it shatters the ice with a roar, breaking free relatively unharmed.

_"Haven't you fought these things before, Sage?"_

"Yeah...once."

"Shouldn't you know that they aren't weak to ice?"

"...Last time I just shot its face off."

" " Lutz lets out a snarl of frustration as Sage tries another technique. Sage holds both hands a few inches apart, creating a massive static charge by repeatedly sending a Gizonde bolt between his hands. After a few seconds, he releases the stored electrical energy, the Tandle technique shocking a few of the Delbiters into immobility as the wave of lightning rolls over them.

_"Well, you shocked them. But it didn't do that much damage. Why not just go back to Nafoie?"_

"Lutz...stop backseat casting, please! I'm trying these out." 

Sage's next technique summons a black portal beneath him as Megid bolts leap to three of the nearest Delbiters, having no effect on all but one.

_"Well...Negatis didn't work too well. How about Efess?"_

Three more Delbiters charge towards him, the charge of one clipping him on the shoulder and knocking him sprawling. His Resta repairs the damage, but the time it took to cast allowed him to get pinned between two of the creatures. He yells a harsh chant as the bluish-white light from Efess radiates outward from his body, causing blue arcane circles to appear underneath all the Delbiters. As he is knocked down again, the blue beams of Efess tear downward, doing minimal damage.

However, the technique did alert all of the Delbiters in the room to his presence. He manages to Jellen five of them before he is slammed into a nearby wall. Clutching bruised ribs, he gets to his feet.

_You want to try out your techniques, you said. You wanted to mess around, and now it may get you killed._ Lutz says, fueling Sage's Shifta and Deband with his own powers.

_Yeah, yeah...I think I might be able to get out of this. I'm going to try that Legeon thing. But first..._ Sage focuses his telekinetic powers, pushing back four of the nearby Delbiters. He climbs onto an elevated ledge behind him, then stands with his hands cupped in front of him. A transparent blue orb appears in the air in front of him, but fades a second later. Repeated attempts have the same result.

_"It's not working. How do I get the barrier to work?"_ he asks Lutz, becoming more frantic as the Delbiters close in.

_"It appears you do not have the mental strength to sustain the barrier. This...is not good."_

"Wait, I think I've got it. Would the same principle work on a smaller scale? Like, say...with Grants and Megid?"

"Theoretically, yes. But it's impossible to create a barrier out of technique energy that can contain the energy, yet be pliable enough to rupture and release the explosion."

"Well, I'm not going to make it out of technique energy..." Sage answers as he begins casting Grants in the midst of the Delbiters. The familiar shining lights appear as he hurls a Megid at the forming Grants. The Megid veers slightly away, but Sage concentrates all of his energy into a telekinetic shield around the two techniques, forcing them to interact.

Sage strains as he holds the two techs together, forcing the opposing energies to struggle with each other for dominance. After a few seconds, a high-pitched whine of energy begins to emanate from the competing elemental techs as he continues to contain the reaction. The orb of energy turns white, then black, then fades to a pale blue that grows in intensity as it grows in size. Blood vessels in Sage's forehead stand out ominiously as he concentrates all his efforts on containing the energy, the shield being forcibly stretched as the reaction begins.

When he can contain the reaction no longer, smaller blue orbs erupt out of the larger one, then explode into domes of blue light. The glare from the blasts build and build as more and more energy is produced, until finally the main orb goes with a loud explosion, a shockwave rushing through the room as the concentrated technique energy is released.

When the smoke clears and the glare fades from Sage's eyes, only a few scraps of Delbiter remain.


	12. Saints and Sinners

Sage gets to his feet, wiping Delbiter goo off of the front of his shirt.

_Lutz...you said that Grants and Megid weren't powerful enough to cause a big explosion. If that wasn't a 'big explosion'...then what the hell is?_ Sage thinks at Lutz, stepping lightly over the mangled corpses of the neon beasts.

_I must admit, using your telekinesis to contain the energy was an impressive move. But if you could pull off the full technique, it would have a great deal more power. You must continue studying._ Lutz replies, as Sage exits the room of trials.

_Fine, fine. I did fairly well at the academy, but offensive techs were never really my thing. I got straight A's in support, but barely passed the offense section. I just have trouble with using my power to make stuff die._

_Regardless, your unorthodox method did work. Let's continue onward...the individual trial is nearly over._ Lutz says, as Sage begins strolling down a long, dimly lit hallway. About halfway down, he hears a faint shuffling noise. Drawing his Yasminkov, he crouches down and walks closer. A Pan Arms is trapped underneath a slab of debris from the ceiling, the blue Migium half completely crushed. At his approach, the Hidoom separates from its partner and extends a photon blade from its arm before lumbering towards him with an unsteady gait.

Sage casts a quick Zalure, then intercepts the stabbing blade with a telekinetic shield. Shrieking its rage, the creature backs up to try another attack. Before it can reach him, Sage levels his gun and fires three quick rounds at the Altered Beast's head, telekinetically guiding the shots to connect between its eyes. It lets out a low gurgle before toppling backwards and slowly dissolving. A glint of red shines from the puddle of ichor it leaves behind.

"Oh!" Sage yells with glee as he lunges forward, grabbing the red box. A quick examination of the contents reveals a slim, sleek Yasminkov 2000H in mint condition. He removes the gun, checking the sights and looking it over. Spinning it on his finger, he whirls around and targets a chunk of rock, hitting it with a precise shot. The low bark of the gun echoes down the hallway as Sage revels in his new acquisition.

_Lutz! Do you know what this is?_

"A gun of some sort. Jonas...you just obliterated an entire room of creatures with one casting, yet you are excited about an antique weapon that throws metal?"

"Never, ever say that again. Intangible thought construct or not, if you insult my gun again I will find a way to kill you. This does not just 'throw metal'. I actually hit something I was aiming at, without guiding the bullet. That's...unprecedented. This thing must have a ton of accuracy modifications on it. I think I'm in love..."

_"Well, when you're done drooling, can we get on with this? The resonance of this tower is getting on my nerves."_Lutz says in a low tone as Sage places the Yasminkov in the shoulder holster that formerly held his Red Handgun.

_Are you sure that's not the aftereffect of the 'small explosion'? My ears are ringing too._ Sage replies, making his way past more piles of rubble. Grinning like a child with a new toy, he comes to the end of the hallway. As he nears a metal door with faded markings on it, he is greeted by the glowing appearance of one of the guardians.

_Excellent work. You are the only one of your companions who have currently completed your trial._ the guardian says as Sage looks at him inquisitively.

"Only one? Are they alright?" he asks, a hint of worry in his voice.

_They are still undergoing the trials. Their well-being remains to be seen._

"And I'm guessing there's nothing I can do to help them?"

_No...they must be judged on their own merits. You simply required a test of strength, but they are being judged on both their wits and their resolve._

"Not that I'm complaining, but...why'd I get off so easily?" Sage asks.

_The lady of the tower has become...impatient. She feels that you are worthy, so you get to bypass some of the other aspects of the trials._

"Nice. So...I just wait around here?"

_No, step inside. The lady wishes to speak with you._

The guardian steps aside, motioning with an intangible arm for Sage to go inside a glowing door that appears behind him. As he steps into the portal, the world around him goes white for a second. Reappearing, he finds himself inside a small, well-furnished room at the top of the tower. A young woman is lounging in an overstuffed chair in one corner of the room. She is dressed in intricate silver plate armor, the gaps in the plate revealing a black armored bodysuit underneath. Red hair spills down her back as she gets to her feet. She smiles, then gives a slight nod as Sage walks in.

"Hello Sage. I am Alis. I wish to speak with you."

"Hi. You're the lady of the tower that the guardian spoke of, right?" Sage asks, as Alis motions him to a table nearby. A full meal is spread out on it, the table groaning under the weight.

"Yes, I am. Sit and refresh yourself. We have much to talk about." Alis sets an example by sitting in one of the chairs, then taking a long drink from a goblet set at her place. Sage seats himself, then looks over the table at Alis.

"What's wrong? Have I passed the trials?" Sage asks as Alis begins to nibble on a piece of bread.

"You have. Your companions are still undergoing theirs. But...that is irrelevant."

"Irrelevant? Why?" Sage asks, a look of surprise clouding his face.

"Because you are not leaving here with the Rings. I refuse to allow it." Alis says, her face blazing with a sudden fury.

In each of the trial rooms, the remaining members of Sage's group continue their trials.

Lissandra dodges a burst of gunfire, launching a series of Gifoies as she sprints for cover. As one of the fireballs hits a support column, she freezes the column with Gibarta. Two Slicer blades later and one of the copies of Jacen's battlesuit lies in smoking ruins, crushed by the toppled pillar. As another closes in, she runs straight at it, diving and rolling underneath it, coming up behind it.

She releases a Rabarta wave at point blank range, stiffening the mechanism of its leg joints. It whirls around, unable to bring her into firing range as she stays within its minimum field of fire. Waiting til it is overbalanced, she gives it a solid telekinetic push, toppling it over onto its side. It struggles to get up as a companion stomps over. Lissandra dazzles the standing copy's targetting mechanism with a Grants burst, then waits until the last possible moment to move out of the impending crossfire.

The hail of fire from the recovering grounded machine and the standing machine rips through each other, shredding them both.

"That...was way too easy. What happened?" Lissandra asks, as she is whisked away by the portal of a guardian that appears behind her.

She finds herself in a large room at what seems like the top of the tower. Expansive windows look out onto the surface of Rykros. Another portal appears behind her as the battered figure of Brom staggers out.

"Brom? Are you alright!" Lissandra asks, as Brom falls face first on the floor.

"Yes, you stupid fleshbag. I'll be...fi-" Brom says, as sparks fly from a gaping wound in the plating on his chest. Broken blades protrude from his body at various angles as his auto-repair functions kick in, powering him down.

"Good to see you too." Lissandra grumbles as she begins to repair the damage done to his frame with Resta.

Yokote staggers, straining as his barrier manages to deflect the brunt of the flame blast sents his way. As the massive creature readies another blast, he drops his magical barrier and darts forward, his body beginning to flare up with a dark energy. The dark purple flame spreads to his blades as the creature hurls a massive fist forward, seeking to crush him.

Yokote leaps onto the monster's arm at the last possible second, sprinting towards its head. As it raises its other arm to strike, he channels the power he absorbed from the flame blasts into his blades, making them flare with dark energy. The creature punches at him, the glowing photon sabers slicing through its arm easily, severing it in half. With a wail of anguish, the creature attempts to shake Yokote off. Yokote grins, then crosses his blades above his head.

"Goodbye pal. Demonfire Blast!" Yokote says, leaping into the air towards the platform. At the apex of his jump, he fires a massive blast of black flame from his crossed blades. The attack hits the creature in its chest, blowing a massive hole that spreads, the dark beast disintegrating into thousands of glowing black shards.

When he lands, Yokote is whisked away by a guardian to join Lissandra and the recovering Brom.

"Anyone else think the last part of the trials was a bit too easy?" Lissandra asks as Yokote enters the room.

"Yeah...it's as if something was trying to get us to hurry. The trials were really hard at first, then it was if something just weakened our opponents."Yokote replies. The three discuss their trials as Lissandra works on Brom.

"Speak for yourselves. I don't think your fleshy, weak bodies would be able to take what I had to go through." Brom says as Lissandra finishes repairing his chest plating with Resta.

With a faint shimmer of energy, a doorway appears in midair. Lorna steps through, smiling. There is a faint glow of happiness about her as she nearly skips through the portal.

"Hello everyone. Made it through your trials alright, I see?"

"Yes. How was yours?" Yokote asks as Lorna looks around the room.

"Oh...mine was a...refreshing experience. A delightful little challenge."

"Ours were rather difficult at first, but towards the end...it seemed as if something changed." Lissandra says as a guardian appears in front of them.

_You are very perceptive. You had all passed a certain point in the trial designed to test your mettle. The lady of the tower ordered us to end them at that point._

"Oh, so we get off easy. What about Sage?" Yokote replies, as the guardian frowns at him.

_He is discussing matters with the lady of the tower. It seems there is a bit of a problem..._

"What do you mean, you can't allow us to have the Rings?" Sage asks, shocked.

"Exactly what I say, mortal. The Rings were originally designed to fight against the Profound Darkness. Zionus' methods may seem harsh to you, but he is on the verge of eliminating the darkness and cleansing the universe of its evil. I will not allow you to stop that. " Alis says, glaring at Sage.

"Look, I don't think you understand. The Great Light and Profound Darkness are two halves of the same thing. You can't permanently destroy one without destroying the other. And besides that...he's going to cause untold suffering in his quest for power. Can you honestly just stand by and watch that? Does the job description of 'protector' only include stuff that you feel like fighting?"

"Silence. We protect life from the evils of the Profound Darkness. We have labored to serve the Great Light for eons. This is a triumph, though you may not see it as such. Now, begone."

"You must be joking. We've undergone your stupid trials, traveled across half a solar system, fought countless enemies...yet you think we should just go home because you can't admit your boss is allowing its power to be used for evil?" A muscle in Sage's eye begins twitching as he says this.

"The Great Light is good. There is no way its power can truly be used for evil. You are simply unable to see the big picture. Typical human arrogance. You think that if something has a bad outcome for you personally that it is evil. Besides...you are the only one that has finished the trials. Your companions were released on my orders. Thus...you are the only one that has been deemed worthy."

"So I'm the only one that can get the rings, right?"

"Assuming I were to actually let you obtain them, yes. But that is not the case. Without the rings, you will be unable to stop Zionus. He will act as a conduit for the true power of the Great Light, and darkness will be purged from the universe."

"But he's going to kill countless people in the process!"

"What are a few thousand tainted lives compared to the bliss that will be had when the Great Light rules the universe? The threat of Darkness will be gone, and all will be at peace."

"The peace of the grave, you mean. What's the point in protecting a dead cosmos?" Sage says, his voice rising.

"The point is that there will be no need for protectors any longer. I and my brethren will be freed from our prison. Our souls will be at peace, and evil will be banished. " Alis says, a condescending smirk on her face.

"So...because you don't like the terms of whatever deal you signed, you're willing to let Zionus run roughshod over everything in his path? That's insane." Sage yells.

"You presuming that you have any power to judge me is the true insanity. Now leave. Your friends are outside this room. You will be warped back to your ship." Alis says, pointing to the door.

"No." Sage says, his face a mask of resolve.

"What did you say? You realize I could simply destroy you right now?" Alis snarls, her hand straying to the sheathed blade at her belt.

_"No...it won't be that easy. You are a disgrace to the protectors, and you have lost sight of what you are truly here for. Stand down Alis, or we will make you stand down."_ Lutz says, suddenly.

"Oh, Lutz...you think you can stop me? There is a reason I am the leader of the Guardians, not you. Trifle with me and I shall banish you to a plane beyond existence. Now, begone!" Alis draws her sword, a silvery whiplike beam of light streaming from the blade. Before Sage can react, a shockwave of light energy slams into him, hurling him through the wall.

"Sage!" Lissandra cries, as he slides to a halt on the opposite side of the room, his body unmoving.

Alis steps through the hole in the wall she just created, brandishing her blade. "Grab your companion and leave. You are not going to be obtaining the Rings of Stars this day. "

"Who's the glowing fleshbag ?" Brom asks, drawing an ornate black sword from a capsule at his belt.

"I believe this is the 'Lady of the Tower' the guardian spoke of." Yokote replies, removing his sabers from their sheaths but not activating them.

_My lady...what is the problem? Have they failed the tests?_ One of the guardians asks as he phases into the room.

"The leader passed his tests. The others might have if they had finished them. However...that does not matter. I judge them unworthy." Alis raises her sword, her body beginning to glow with silver light.

_My lady..._ The guardian begins, but he is cut off by a glare from Alis. He warps out with a disapproving look on his face.

"Now...do you wish to contest my judgement? I warn you, the price for such arrogance is death." Alis says, pointing her sword at the group.

"Well, someone's cranky. Why did you rig the trials in our favor if you just wanted us to leave?" Lorna asks, her hands beginning to glow with energy.

"The only ways out of the trial chamber are victory or death. I wanted you gone, and I wasn't quite ready to kill you off. Your dedication is admirable...but your cause is not."

"What? We're trying to save countless numbers of innocent people from a megalomaniac with the powers of a god at his disposal. Isn't that... the exact thing you're here for?" Lissandra asks, her hands straying to her slicers.

"Not this time, girl. I will not allow you to wage war on the Great Light for the sake of a few thousand foolish people who resist its glory. The demon has used the power of the Rings of Stars before, but I refuse to allow it again. The Rings are not some toy to be brought out every time a minor crisis pops up."

Sage begins to stir as Alis says this. His eyes blink open, and he reaches out to steady himself with an arm on the wall as he stands. Cracking his neck from side to side, he stretches, then uses his telekinesis to withdraw both his Yasminkovs.

"To you, they're a toy. To us, they're a lifeline. If you won't let us have them...then we're going to take them. We didn't come all this way to be turned away at the end of the journey by a PMSing guardian with existential issues. I wish it didn't have to be this way, but...ah, screw it. This is going to be fun." With this, Sage levels his guns at Alis and fires, striking a barrier of light about two inches from her face.

Sage begins firing a barrage of telekinetically-enhanced bullets at Alis as the others spread out. Liss tags the group with Shifta and Deband, the familiar red and blue glow casting an eerie light in the suddenly dim tower. Brom and Yokote draw their respective weapons and rush at the guardian in a combined assault, the blades easily deflected in a masterful display of skill. Alis's Saint Guard continues to stop the bullets as she counterattacks Brom and Yokote. An overhead swing from Brom is sidestepped effortlessly, the blade of light plunging into his back three times before he is hurled away by a blast of energy from Alis' outstretched right hand.

"Hmph. Do you really think you are strong enough to defeat me? The majesty of the Great Light is beyond your comprehension!" Alis cries as she savagely attacks Yokote. She lunges forward with a stab which Yokote barely blocks with crossed sabers. Sparks of light flash from the interlocked weapons as Yokote begins to slide backwards across the floor, slowly being overpowered by Alis. Sage, Liss and Lorna's attacks all strike the purple energy barrier of her Saint Guard harmlessly, rebounding off to no avail. Breaking through Yokote's guard, she knees him in the face, then brings her sword up and around, slashing him several times before he hits the ground, motionless.

Lorna begins casting a healing technique as Lutz attempts to make contact with the raging Protector. The others continue their assault with little effect as Alis stalks closer.

_"Alis...this is insanity. A derelection of your sworn duty. Your duty is to protect the innocent, to-"_

"Silence! You of all people have no right to criticize me. Duty is all well and good to pander around as an excuse for fulfilling your selfish desires, yet when you're actually called on to back up what you say, you leave it to someone else."

"Alis, I meant to stay in contact, but for the first couple of centuries, I was unable to telepathically communicate with-"

"Anyone but your 'priestesses'? I've heard this before. Now, let's see how well an intangible thought construct holds up to this!"

Breaking the mental contact, Alis blasts Lutz with a surge of power. His screams echo through Sage's head as Sage drops his guns, pressing his hands to his ears in a feeble attempt to drown out the horrible pounding in his head. He falls to his knees as he is overwhelmed by agony, curling up into a fetal position as the link to Lutz is nearly severed. Lutz, lacking any other way to protect himself, retreats into dormancy inside Sage's mind. The chosen one of the Espers lies curled in a heap as Alis steps closer.

With a flash of blue light, Lorna finishes casting her healing spell on Brom and turns to Yokote. Lissandra rushes over to Sage, who is unmoving. Alis stops her advance for a second, a smirk on her face.

"Hmph. Can the two of you do nothing but heal and cower? Pathetic." Alis crosses her blade over her right shoulder, holding it loosely in her left hand. Lissandra finishes casting Reverser on Sage and stands, reaching in her robe for a red capsule. With a hum of released energy, she activates her Double Saber, standing in a ready position with a look of determination on her face.

"Why are you doing this!" Lissandra asks. Unnoticed, Lorna begins a subtle probe. 

_Sage, darling...I know you're awake. Do you sense anything odd about this?_

"Unh...my head. What the hell'd she do?"

"She tried to sever the link between you and Lutz. Nearly suceeded, too. Anyway...don't you feel there's something strange about Alis?"

"Other than the fact that she's bitter, and trying to kill us?"

"Yes. There's...something off. Her soul doesn't taste of torment like it should if she had snapped after years of being cooped up in this tower. This decision seems sudden. From all the tales I've heard, the lady Alis is a respectable, honorable woman. This cannot be her."

"Legends aren't always as perfect as they are portrayed to be. We can care about why she's all angsty after we beat her."

"Will you at least scan her? You're better at this type of thing than me."

"Ugh...fine. This is really going to hurt tomorrow." Sage breaks the link, the entire conversation only taking a few seconds. When he opens his eyes, Brom and Yokote have joined Lissandra with their weapons out, looking a bit worse for wear. Lorna stands off to the side, a puzzled look on her face. Alis smiles, then points at Lorna.

"Well, little soul-sucker...it's been fun. But I'm tired of you snooping where you don't belong. Begone!" A silvery beam of light shoots from Alis' hand, striking Lorna in the chest before she can move. With a flash of energy, Lorna disappears.

"Lorna!" Lissandra yells, as she swings her Double Saber at Alis. The Protector blocks easily, intercepting the photon blades with her own glimmering weapon. A few quick blows are exchanged, ending with Lissandra staggering back, superficial cuts all over her body.

"She's simply been ejected from the tower, because she wasn't foolish enough to directly attack me. As for the rest of you..."

At this point, Sage's telepathic scan reaches Alis. He detects a flash of a familiar presence for a brief moment, before a surge of power similiar in feeling to touching the sun overwhelms his senses.

_Where have I felt that before...?_

Lissandra, Brom and Yokote renew their attack on Alis. Yokote starts off with an intricate series of alternating strikes, all of which are blocked or dodged. As Alis pushes him away, Lissandra makes her move, bringing her Double Saber in low in a horizontal slash at Alis' side. It impacts her armor with no visible effect, and Lissandra pays for her boldness with a punch to the face. Brom rushes Alis, using one of the swords he looted from the chamber of trials, relying on his superior reach and brute strength to keep from being struck. In a disappointingly short amount of time, Alis routs him as well, spinning away after a vicious slash at his torso that leaves sparks flying from a gaping rent.

"Are you quite done?" Alis says, stepping back and regarding the group with a sad smile. Reaching one hand up, she grasps the hilt of a massive sword slung on her back. She pulls Elsydeon free, sparkles of light flying from the holy sword as it leaves its sheath. **"Face the power of Elsydeon, and be banished like the darkness before you!" **Now dual-wielding Elsydeon and a shining saber, she savagely attacks, powering through the guard of her opponents in no time flat. Slashed, battered and bruised, they are easy prey to a series of light beams that erupt from Elsydeon, juggling them in the air til they fall, spent and unmoving.

Standing over the unconscious group, Alis begins to laugh. Her mirth is interrupted by Sage hauling himself upright with the aid of the wall.

"This...isn't over yet. I can't lose." He says, leaning against the rough surface of the stone for support.

**"Hmph. Well then, let's test that resolve." **Alis snarls, hurling a blast of white energy from her saber at Sage.

His telekinetic shield manages to protect him from the majority of the blast, but the resulting explosion as the halo of white light hits him leaves him reeling, his outer robe in tatters. He stumbles, yet remains upright. Alis' second and third attacks have a similar effect, ending with Sage slumped against the wall, minor burns all over his body.

Smiling, Alis stops her assault.** "Well, you are determined. I suppose I'll just eject you from the tower then." **Alis' light beam hits Sage, yet the warp does not take place.

Regaining a small bit of strength by casting Resta, Sage croaks in a hoarse voice. "That's...not going to work. You yourself said, I passed the trial. I have a right to contest your decision."

**"Yes, but not the ability. I suppose I will have to kill you, after all."** Alis raises her weapons, only to be buffeted by a storm of telekinetically-thrown debris from Sage. She crosses her blades, channeling power for a final energy blast. Pinpoints of light begin to dance around her as she charges up.

Distracted as she is, she fails to notice the faint healing glow of a Scape Doll working on Lissandra. Liss slowly meanders back to awareness, a dull ache all over her body even through the Scape's healing. Her eyes open in time to see Sage barely manage to deflect Alis' blast with a telekinetic shield. With this last effort, he falls back against the wall, gasping for breath. Alis steps forward, eschewing energy blasts for the finality of physical combat.

Lissandra hurls two Moon Atomizers in the general direction of Yokote and Brom, telekinetically activating the capsules as they reach them.

Alis relentless stalk towards the weakened Sage is stopped as she hears a sound behind her. Whirling, she snarls in rage as she sees the three standing once again.

**"How much do I have to hurt you!"** She yells as she charges towards them. Brom meets her charge with a swing, his black sword colliding with Elysdeon. She bashes him in the head with the hilt of her saber, knocking him back. Her warp beam hits him solidly in the chest, banishing him from the tower in a shimmering tower of light. Yokote brandishes his sabers, unleashing a flurry of Foie shots. With Alis blocking the flaming spheres, he runs at her, casting Gibarta as he comes close. Slashing his twin photon sabers upwards, he channels the freezing energy through his weapons in a spinning, double-bladed uppercut.

"Hyouryuushou!" he chants, as he unleashes the attack. Alis blocks the sword hits, but is momentarily stunned by the wave of cold air. Yokote flips around in mid-air, coming down towards her with a Rafoie powered stab with both blades. His Enkoujin attack is also blocked, and he rebounds off with a resounding clang. 

Before he can regain his balance, he is struck in mid-air by Elsydeon. The blade cleaves through his guard effortlessly, taking his right arm with it. He howls in pain as he falls to the ground, dropping his sabers as he reaches to grab his mangled right arm. Alis kicks him in the face, then flares with a intense white light as she warps him out of the tower.

**"And then, there were two. Little girl...it's time to die. You are unrepentant, stubborn...and very foolish. You seek to serve simply as a place to belong, yet you are willing to go betray the deity you serve because of a handful of mortals? Pathetic." **Alis says as she steps back, gazing at Lissandra with contempt showing clearly on her face. Liss stares back, unafraid.

**"Hmph. You refuse to repent even when beaten? Very well. I shall show you what happens to 'heroes' that are not up to the task."** Turning, she walks over to Sage, who is slumped against the wall, barely moving. Sheathing Elsydeon, she grabs Sage by the throat and lifts him effortlessly. Alis raises her saber, preparing for a fatal strike. As the gleaming blade descends, a Rafoie explodes in Alis' face.

She glimpses the green glow of a Resta as she stabs forward. When the smoke from the Rafoie fades, her saber is embedded to the hilt in Lissandra's chest, a small part of the point barely grazing Sage. Sage's eyes snap open as Lissandra's Resta revives him, and when Alis hurls him away he manages to catch himself telekinetically. Gasping for breath as the saber is withdrawn from her chest, Lissandra turns to Sage with tears in her eyes. Her attempts at Restaing herself are cut off by a blast of energy from Alis that sends her flying.

"Sage...sorry." she whispers, as she closes her eyes. "I tried. You have to beat her..." Lissandra manages. Sage telekinetically hurls himself from the wall, but does not get to her before Alis warps her still body from the tower.

"You...you..." Sage falls to his knees, quaking with rage. Deep within him, something snaps, the outpouring of emotional energy drawing Lutz from his slumber.

**"Now, care to finish this?"** Alis asks, extending her arms as two shining wings shoot from her back. Glowing like a new star, she manifests the full divine power that has been fed to her.

On Pioneer 2...

X stares at himself in the mirror as Rubia makes a few last adjustments. Placing the makeup case on the table, she steps back and smiles.

"There you go, dear. That's a good disguise. What do you think?"

X simply looks on, amazed. His look of shock continues as Ayame walks into the room.

"Um, Ms. Rubia? Where's Uncle X?" Ayame says, looking around.

"Right here. This is what a proper disguise should look like." Rubia says, turning X around to face his niece. Ayame's mouth gapes open as she sees what appears to be a stunning Fomarl in a green dress.

"...wow, Ms. Rubia. That's really cool."

"I try, dear. I've never really gotten to do this to another person, but I must say...I never thought I'd be putting makeup on my son. "

"I don't think anyone will recognize him now." Ayame says, smiling. "But we should probably go back to the headquarters soon."

"That probably would be a good idea. I'll accompany you there, but first...your disguise is good, but there's something a bit off. Most Hunewearls go with some increased 'moral support' in the bosom. To fully emulate that look, you may want to also. With your gifts, you don't really need to, but it would make it look authentic."

X speaks up at this, recovering from the shock of seeing himself seemingly turned into a woman. "Mom, seriously...you're going a bit overboard. We don't have that far to go, and the patrols..."

"Hush, Xaelis. If you're going in disguise, you might as well make it good."

"What do you mean by moral support, Ms. Rubia?" Ayame asks, puzzled.

"A bra, dear."

"Mom!" X begins, as Rubia simply ignores him.

At Ayame's continued look of cluelessness, Rubia smiles. "Don't worry, we'll fix your disguise too. X, leave the room so we can get to work." Rubia steers X towards the door, overpowering his protests with sheer volume. As he is shut out, X sighs.

_She's enjoying this way, way too much. Maybe it's because I didn't have a sister, or anything._

Nei walks up, then grins evilly. "She's really having fun with this, isn't she? Despite the fact that I want to kill her...there's something admirable about her. She makes your life a living hell. Not bad for a human. I'm still going to hurt you after this, though."

X simply groans in disgust as Nei wanders back into the living room.

JiEin dashes from alley to alley, trying in vain to find his way back to the relative safety of the Hunter's district. As he rounds a corner towards a inter-ship teleporter, he runs into Shard.

"That was an impressive tactic with the Partisan, but not nearly enough. I'm going to terminate you now." Shard draws her weapon as she says this, leaping at JiEin.

He manages to bring his Dragon Slayer up to block the strike, and a few swift attacks are exchanged before Shard lands a hit on JiEin's side, slamming him into the wall. He staggers and gets up, then unleashes a vicious overhead slash at Shard. She simply steps back, extends her left hand and catches the massive blade, holding it with ease.

"Sorry, but now you die." She shatters the blade with a flexing of her hand, the purple crystalline fragments raining onto the dingy pavement of the alley. Shard kicks JiEin in the chest, then raises her Twin Buster above her head, spinning it three times. JiEin lies sprawled half on his back as Shard prepares the killing blow, surreptitiously reaching for a small red capsule at his waist...

_Her guard's down. I have one chance at this. Glad Elly just transferred all my items from my old frame. I'm sure he won't mind if I use this._

In Rubia's apartment, Rubia and Ayame exit Rubia's room after about ten minutes, Ayame dressed in a dark-red Hunewearl outfit.

"Uncle, look at this! Doesn't it look great?" Ayame asks, twirling around slowly to let X and Nei examine her new disguise. Her purple hair is done up in two buns at the back of her head, with only a few tendrils flowing free down the sides of her face.

Nei is the first to respond, as X looks in amazement at the changes wrought in his niece.

"Nice job, kiddo. Looks a bit like a working gir-"

"Nei. No...just no. Ayame, it's a nice disguise. But, we should probably be going now. Thank you for your help, mom. I'll be sure to stay in contact." X interrupts, as Rubia beams.

"Yes, that outfit is one of my old ones. Your father really liked it. The great thing about dressing like a Hunewearl is that the outfits are so multi-purpose."

X motions at the door as Rubia begins her explanation. " They can function as both sleepwear and armor. A bit more confining than a robe, but it has it's uses. Why, one time..." Rubia continues, as X and the others make a move towards the door.

"Oh, Xaelis, wait! I'm coming with you." Rubia says, dashing after the swiftly-retreating trio.

In the alley, Shard steps forward, bringing her weapon down with all her might. At the last possible moment, JiEin makes his move, withdrawing X's Agito from the capsule he'd placed it in and delivering a lightning-fast slash to Shard's side, the holy blade easily cleaving through her outer plating and into her movement controls. JiEin's forward lunge turns into a roll as sparks shoot from the gaping wound in Shard's torso. Her off-balance attack strikes the pavement where JiEin lay moments before, and she slumps to a knee to inspect the damage.

_He hit my servomotor control for my left side. I need to repair the damage._ Shard thinks, reaching for a Trimate in a compartment inside her left forearm, her left hand still gripping the Twin Buster. She removes the capsule, crushing it in her fist as it repairs most of the damage to her side. She stands, whirling about to see JiEin crouched in a ready pose.

"Hmph. A cheap shot, but an admirable act of surprise. Let us continue." Shard and JiEin charge each other, JiEin moving much faster than before. A rapid series of attacks are exchanged, the weapons moving so quickly that a bystander would be unable to see more than a blur. The androids parry and riposte, attack and counter, dance and dodge, each straining to get the upper hand on the other.

_Ahaha, the power! This beauty is so wasted on X..._ JiEin thinks, effortlessly deflecting Shard's attacks.

As a few more strikes are exchanged, JiEin goes for a final strike, leaping at Shard with a two-handed vertical attack. She blocks, but JiEin begins to push her backwards, overpowering her as her servos strain to hold him back.

"How are you...? You were not this strong moments ago! What happened?" Shard asks through the robotic equivalent of clenched teeth, most of her power going to hold off JiEin's attack.

"tHe aGiTo Is MiNe!" JiEin says, his voice momentarily changing as his eyes glow with a fierce light. With a snarl, he shoves forward, pushing Shard away. As she staggers backwards, he dashes forward, cleaving through his opponent's guard with two powerful strikes, ending up behind her in a burst of incredible speed. He reverses his grip on the Agito and steps backwards, his back still to Shard.

Before she can turn around, the Agito is plunged through her chest from behind, the shining katana piercing her main power generator in a savage reverse stab. JiEin impales her with the blade, turning to the side to face her as she slumps.

"Next time, it would be best to not underestimate your opponent." JiEin says, twisting the Agito sideways before sweeping it through her torso in a vicious arc, severing many vital components. Shard falls forward, the Twin Buster in her hand deactivating as the silver handle drops from her grasp.

_He...wasn't supposed to be that powerful. Master Zionus, I have failed you._ The light in Shard's eyes dims as her systems go offline, emergency power rerouting going to work to maintain the integrity of her memory. A distress beacon implanted in her frame sends a coded signal to Zionus' headquarters.

JiEin, feeling strangely empowered as he holds the Agito, hurries towards the teleporter. The shimmering lights fade as he emerges near the residential district.

_It...happened again. Why is it that whenever I hold this weapon, I have black outs? Eh, probably nothing important._

JiEin sheathes the Agito and replaces it in its capsule, stopping to remove the last vestiges of his human disguise. Stowing the remnants in a trash can, he continues along. After about five minutes, he encounters a group of four women walking towards him. The two Fomarls are arguing as the Ramarl and Hunewearl look on, amused. As he draws closer, he recognizes Rubia, Ayame and Neifirst.

Rubia and the other Fomarl are so intent on their argument that the shorter Fomarl fails to notice him, bumping into him as he comes near.

"Hey, you big oaf!" The short Fomarl yells, the voice sounding strangely high-pitched. JiEin steps backwards, beginning an apology.

"I'm sorry, ma'am. Ayame, who is this?" JiEin asks.

Ayame, Nei and Rubia all begin to laugh, as the short, loud Fomarl fumes. Stepping closer, 'she' lowers her voice, grabbing JiEin by the shoulder.

"It's me, you moron! X! We made the mistake of going by my mom's to avoid the patrols, and she had a field day with the disguises."

"Hahaha! You make an excellent Fomarl, X."

"Thank you. Now, do I know you?" Rubia asks.

"Ms. Rubia, it's JiEin." Ayame says, as Neifirst convulses with laughter.

Rubia looks puzzled. "How can you tell? He seems to be in a new frame everytime you see him. How do we know he's not a spy?"

X scowls before replying. "Well, for starters...he always has a faint odor of noodles about him. And his voice is more evenly modulated than most Hucasts. The ears of catgirls also twitch ever so slightly when he comes within about fifteen feet. It's miniscule, but if you know what to look for, you can spot it. Finally...most other androids aren't unlucky enough to be cursed with a Bluefull section ID. Most 'droids that come out Bluefull are decommisioned on sight. Ji's the only Bluefull Hucast that wasn't mercy-killed on the spot."

"X...I'm a Skyly now." JiEin says.

"Yeah, yeah. I know that you stole that section ID clip and all, but you still reek of Bluefull."

JiEin looks downcast as Rubia nods in understanding. "Oh, alright. That makes sense, I suppose."

The trip back to Resistance Headquarters is uneventful. When the group arrives, they are witness to another of Zionus' ultimatums on the main view-screen.

**"Tainted ones of Pioneer...I am the avatar of the Great Light. Though many have seen the glory of my power and begun following me, there are still some stubborn infidels that refuse to submit to my will. I call on all the faithful to condemn these heretics. They shall be bent to serve me, or they shall be broken on my path to creating paradise. Their sinful hearts shall make that choice. I have one of them with me now, one of the pathetic Resistance that seeks to rebel against my glory."**

The camera pans to a bound Lucca, chained to an ornate stone slab. She appears to be unconscious. Kimiko and a recovered Eriror loom nearby, along with a contingent of Zionus' guards. Rising slightly, the camera sweeps across a sea of the faithful.

**This heretic shall be a sacrifice, to ring in the era of my glory. May all the heretics see what happens to those that oppose my might. The sacrifice shall take place in five hours. Come, and witness my everlasting power and glory.** The screen goes blank as X's group walks into Lab's office.

Lorna, crouched over Yokote as she begins to channel healing energy, barely notices a faint glimmer of energy behind her. She turns, seeing the unmoving form of Lissandra materializing nearby. She looks up at Brom as he emerges from the ship.

"This is bad. Please, get some more supplies from inside the ship." Her voice is tense with worry as she stabilizes Yokote and rushes over to Lissandra.

_Whoever did this to you, my lady...they will surely pay. I can only hope Sage stops you before your powers are used for evil any more. _

Inside the tower, Sage is kneeling on the floor, shaking with emotion. Scalding tears run down his face as his mind seethes with rage. Lutz senses the change and makes tentative contact, his power mostly restored by feeding off the harsh energy of Sage's anger.

**"Well, fool? Are you just going to continue weeping like a child, or will you stand and face me?"**

"Why...? Why do you have to be so cruel? What kind of sick freak are you? You have this near-limitless power, yet all you can do with it is make mortals your playthings?"

**"You opposed my will, in a trifling manner. You must be punished for such insolence. Punishment is often remembered better when it strikes the heart, not the body.**"

_"Sage, this isn't Alis. She would never act like this. She's being controlled by something else. We must remember that she is not at fault here."_ Lutz begins, his strength returning.

_"Shut up."_

"What! Sage, I'm trying to help-"

"SHUT UP! I'm tired of being a pawn in this stupid power struggle. Light, Darkness...Good, Evil. They're constantly battling, constantly striving for dominance over the other. One does it in the name of protecting life, one in the name of destroying it. Either way, no matter who wins, the life they are fighting over suffers. What's the point of being all-powerful if you can't use the power to do the one thing you say you're going to do?"

"Sage, the Great Light entrusted the mantle of protector to humanity for a reason."

"Yes, to fight its battles against the darkness. But who's to protect us from the light?"

"I...do not know. I am sure the current circumstances were unforeseen, and..."

"How can something be 'unforeseen' to a god!"

"..." Lutz answers, clearly lost in thought.

_"It's Zionus controlling her, I can feel it. But behind Zionus is the Great Light. Its allowing him to abuse its power, or its just too negligent to care. We've fought its battles for millenia, 'holding back the darkness'. But now, when we actually need it...it allows a madman like Zionus to usurp its power and even control one of its fabled Protectors."_ Sage thinks at Lutz, as he slowly gets to his feet.

_"The people its supposed to be protecting, to be nurturing, are going to be destroyed by something that's using its power, and its just standing idly by. I've had enough. I'm going to end this, and then I'm going to end Zionus. Now either help me, or get the hell out of my head."_

"Very well..."

Though it felt like an eternity to both, the mental dialogue lasted only a few fractions of a second. Sage stands, a look of stony hatred on his face. Grasping the tatters of his robe, he tosses the outer garment aside, leaving him clad in a blue Dezolian bodysuit.

**"Well, done with your little debate? If so, I'd like to kill you now."**

"Zionus...I know you're the one controlling Alis. I may not be able to directly damage you from here...but you can't exert your full powers on me as well. Get ready to see what a 'weakling mortal' can really do."

Sage releases his telekinetic powers, for the first time in his life allowing all the barriers he'd held up to collapse. The coalescing stream of pure force explodes outwards, shattering the rock walls around them. The dull red of the Rykros sky stretches out in an endless tableau around them, framing the combatants. Harsh winds whip around them, blowing small shards of debris here and there. 

**"Impressive...you seem to have more power within you than your cowardice allows you to reveal."** Alis says, pointing her blades at Sage. She unleashes a shockwave from the saber in her left hand, the white blade of energy screaming towards Sage. He raises a hand, erecting a telekinetic shield that dissipates the energy of the attack harmlessly. A tiny amount of strain shows on his face as he blocks the next series of attacks, deflecting or countering each energy blast with waves of telekinetic power.

Sage reaches out with his telepathy, encountering a dull presence that bears the distinct emptiness of sleep. Behind it, he feels the looming power of Zionus. He hears a faint laughing in his head as he breaks the link.

**_"Sorry, but you won't be wresting control of the Protector's mind away from me this day."_**

_Damn. Lutz...? Ah. You really are staying out of this one. Oh well. If I die, I hope you enjoy residing in my corpse._

Sage blinks as wind-blown dust gets in his eye. When his vision refocuses, Alis is rushing towards him, Elsydeon and her saber raised high. He deflects the attack with a barrier of telekinetic energy, dodging to the side as the Protector flies by. As she turns, Sage sends a bolt of Gizonde at her face, the arc of lightning leaping from his outstretched hands. Expecting a telekinetic assault, Alis is briefly stunned.

Sage launches a Megid at her as she makes another pass, targetting a Grants about one foot in front of that. Elysdeon catches the Megid, her forward momentum propelling the ball of dark energy into the swirling locus of light energy. As the Legeon reaction begins, Sage reaches out, focusing all his concentration on containing the spell.

Alis swoops away, charging a shining circle of energy. Sage grimaces from the strain, but manages to cast Nafoie, the pillar of flame erupting around Alis to little effect.

His mental energies stretched to the breaking point, he hurls debris from the shattered walls at her as he casts Nabarta, the beam of cold freezing the debris into an icy ram. Still containing the Legeon energy, he hurls the ram at Alis, striking her solidly in the torso and knocking her back. As she fumbles, struggling to regain control, he telekinetically directs the orb of coalescing blue energy towards her. The last of his power fading from his efforts, his mind on fire, he releases the energy, the blue explosion rippling outwards. 

Lorna, working frantically to save Lissandra's life, sees a bright blue flash in the distance. She brushes a strand of sweat-soaked blonde hair out of her eyes with a blood-stained hand as she holds a bandage on Lissandra's chest, desperately hoping the bleeding will stop soon.

On Ragol, mere moments after the ultimatum was broadcast, Zionus reels for a second, his control over his followers' minds fading for a few heartbeats.

**_That boy...he truly is powerful. But Lutz is not backing him. Even without my direct control of Alis, she will kill him before he does enough damage to break my spell. I shall stop feeding her power, as it is far too draining. The power I have given her will suffice. If he somehow survives, Sigma can deal with him._**

During Zionus' momentary lapse of control, a few of the followers that had been forcibly converted to his side snapped to awareness. Remembering the horrors they had been through, they charge the mad deity. They are reduced to ashes before they get within rifle range, Zionus' hands glowing with divine energy.

**"I am retiring to my quarters. See that the preparations are complete."**

Behind him, Sigma motions for some of the followers to clean up the mess.

As the dome of energy fades, Sage is completely drained of mental energy. His head throbs as it feels like a million pairs of cymbals are clanging inside his skull. He looks over at where Alis fell to the tower, briefly registering four of her before his vision clears. He wobbles, nearly falling.

Alis lets out a low groan, then pushes herself off the ground with hatred in her eyes. The wings have faded, but she still has a faint glow about her.

Sage, his legs having the approximate sturdiness of rubber at this point, begins to fall, his exertions overcoming him. He is nearly helpless as the Protector stalks over to him, her saber sheathed at her side. Raising Elsydeon with both hands, she stands in triumph.

"Arrogant fool. You shall be vanquished by the glory of the Great Light!"

Not entirely sure which of the four Alis' in front of him is speaking, he simply turns to the closest one, barely able to hold his head up.

"Go ahead, then. Find someone else to do the Great Light's dirty work. I don't really care anymore. Far...too...tired..." Sage whispers, barely able to maintain consciousness as the peace of oblivion looms close at hand. He closes his eyes, all vestiges of strength spent, sapped and exhausted. Alis smiles and readies her weapon for a killing blow.

Alis snarls, a look of triumph on her face as her weapon descends towards the unmoving Sage. With one blow, she severs his head from his body, killing him instantly. His body trembles slightly, going limp as the life passes from him. Alis slumps to the ground, a brief moment of clarity coming over her before the iron grip of Zionus' spell takes hold of her mind again.

_What...what have I done?_ she thinks, split seconds before Zionus reasserts his control.

**_That's one threat down. Now, there are none able to claim the rings. My might shall go unopposed, and the universe shall tremble at my name._**

Lorna lets out a soft curse as the partially healed wound in Lissandra's chest opens again. She pours healing energy at the injury, tapping into the vast reserve of soul power she absorbed from the guardian. The flow of blood through her fingers slows to a trickle as she struggles to knit the flesh and bone together. She nearly has it when behind her, Yokote awakens from his spell-induced slumber. He lets out a low grunt as he awakens, too strong to cry out. Lorna's empathic senses still easily feel the searing pain from his arm, the backlash of agony ruining her concentration.

_Damn. It's too much to deal with at once. I have plenty of power stored up, but pouring enough soul energy at Lissandra to heal her would overwhelm her spirit. She would be lost. I must..._

Deciding after a split second, Lorna reaches inside herself with her powers, siphoning out her own life energy. She bathes Lissandra's body with this, casting a life-energy fueled Resta. The wave of healing energy floods over the dying woman, knitting her body together. Her soul senses the swirling maelstrom of energy, and as Lorna tries to recover enough energy to keep her own body going, she nearly sucks Lissandra's soul out of her body. Clamping down with all the control learned from years of training, she forces her grasping soul-absorption powers to yield, releasing Lissandra's spirit. Liss gasps, then lies still, breathing, but her mind unmoving.

Lorna sits back, sighing in relief as she sees the formerly gaping wound in Lissandra's chest reduced to a small scar. Seconds later, the backlash of the energy she used hits her, the world swirling around her as she loses consciousness. She falls backwards, feeling an arm catch her as she loses consciousness.

Yokote bites his lip to keep from crying out as Lorna's drained body hits his injured arm. He grimaces, then manages to slide to the ground, ending up in a sitting position while holding on to Lorna. Brom walks over from his inspection of the ship.

"Well...you're awake. You've sustained some pretty intense injuries. I'm nearly impressed. Most meatbags would have passed out from shock, or given in to the pain and died."

"Unnh...thanks." Yokote rasps, struggling to stay awake. "Could you do me a favor?"

"I suppose you've earned one. Be warned, this takes away the 'not killing you' favor." Brom says, leaning down next to the duo.

"Do you have any Trimates?" Yokote asks, nearly crying out as he loses his grip on Lorna, her unconscious figure bumping against his mangled arm once more. Blood begins to stain the bandage as he fights to balance her.

"Yes, here you go. And I suppose I could help you with her, as well." Bending down, Brom lifts Lorna from Yokote's grasp and places her on the makeshift bed Yokote had occupied. Turning, the android uses a Trimate on Yokote. Some color returns to his face as the healing item has an effect.

"Now, if you don't mind... you and the other two fleshies need to get inside the ship. Some of those native creatures have showed up, and they apparently find the smell of injured and dying fleshbags appetizing." Brom helps Yokote inside the ship, then exits, returning with the limp body of Lissandra. He places her on a bed in the sleeping area, then leaves to go get Lorna. He cleaves a monster in half with the shining black Deathbringer he looted from the tower, stowing the weapon in a capsule as he picks up Lorna. He takes her inside, placing her in the sleeping area as well.

"Now...I'm going to go take care of those creatures that just showed up. I'm not entirely certain if they could breach the ship, but I'd rather not chance it. I'm tired of this place. There's not much else around for me to kill, so they get that privilege." Brom says, drawing his sword. The android leaves the room, and a few seconds later Yokote hears the doors on the ship close and seal as Brom exits.

_Hmm, so that's where he was. I thought he actually abandoned us._ Yokote thinks. _Now...for the hard part._

"Lorna..." he whispers, bending down so his face is close to hers. "You used too much power trying to save Liss. I could feel it. Your body feels like it's coming apart. Please...take my energy. Survive. We need you." He finishes by placing his good hand on Lorna's face, casting a feeble Resta. The face of the snow queen looks like it has aged, her blonde hair becoming pure white as the energy seems to drain from her body. Yokote continues to cast Resta, ignoring the searing pain in his arm.

Lorna stirs, feeling a familiar energy beside her. She opens her eyes slowly, the lids feeling like they weigh a ton. She sees Yokote staring intently down at her, and smiles softly. "I thank you...but I can't. It's against my principles to drain the energy of a non-willing person."

"Lorna, it's alright. Liss is breathing for now, but I don't know how long she'll survive. And I have no clue what kind of condition Sage is in. I don't care if you drain enough to kill me, as long as you can help them. They have so much to live for, and so much left to do." Yokote says, his voice rising slightly.

Lorna chuckles softly, her voice barely a whisper. "Well, how...noble of you. You have a lot to live for too, you know. But I'm certain we can work out some sort of compromise. Come closer." Lorna attempts to reach up, lacking the energy to move her arms. Yokote leans down, pressing his hand to the back of her neck. Lorna begins to draw energy from his touch, the absorbed power recovering her body. Yokote's face turns pale, his body shuddering as his soul is drained. Re-energized, Lorna slides both arms around his neck and pulls him close. He looks at her in surprise as she smiles.

"That was the only unpleasant part. But I still need more energy. And the best way to transfer energy is through prolonged physical contact. I promise I won't take too much..." Lorna says as she kills the lights.

Inside the Resistance Headquarters, X is washing the make-up off of his face at a sink in his sleeping quarters. Leah stands beside him, holding a towel.

"So, they have Lucca? That's...horrible. Who knows what that madman will do?" Leah says, a worried look on her face.

"I don't know. But whatever it is, it's not good. And from what Labyrinth told me, he's taking more prisoners. I wonder what for." X says, turning off the water as he reaches for the towel Leah holds. She snaps him lightly with it, grinning as he makes a grab for it. He flicks water at her with his fingers as she snarls playfully. He lunges, grabbing the towel and drying his face off as Leah cuddles lightly against him.

"You know X...we haven't really gotten to spend any time alone together in quite a while. Want to...?" Leah asks, flashing a feral smile at him.

X turns to reply as the doorbell chimes. Cursing, X releases Leah, who frowns at him. X shrugs, sighing as he walks to the door. The doorbell chimes again before he can reach it, prompting a curse from X as he opens the door. He finds his niece standing outside, a sheepish look on her face.

"Sorry to bother you Uncle, but I need to talk to you." Ayame says, staring down at the floor.

"Sure, come on in. What's up?" X says, motioning for her to come inside. Leah sits on the couch as Ayame enters.

"Zionus has Ms. Lucca. If I was stronger, I could rescue her. I'm weak, and this is all my fault!" Ayame says, the words tumbling out in a rush. She begins crying into X's shoulder as he hugs her.

"Hey honey, relax. You don't need to blame yourself." X replies, stroking her hair soothingly as her body is wracked with sobs.

"If, if I were as strong as you, or if I could control that Danielle person..." Ayame says, her face buried in X's shoulder.

"Hon, to be honest...I don't think I could take Zionus even if I was at full power. But it can't hurt to try. Training yourself would be a good idea anyway."

"So...so you'll help me?" Ayame asks, her voice muffled.

"Yeah, sure honey. That's part of the reason I went back to my place. Tell you what. Go get cleaned up, get into some comfortable clothing, and meet me in the VR room in an hour." Ayame, still dressed in her hunter disguise, pulls away and nods.

"Alright Uncle X. Thanks!" Cheered slightly, she leaves the room.

"So...we've got an hour?" Leah says, smiling.

"Yeah. Maybe more. Wanna go get some food?" X asks.

Leah blinks, then sighs in exasperation. _He still doesn't get it some times, does he?_ "Sure, why not?" she grumbles, as X begins to laugh.

"Kidding, kidding. That can wait. You did forget your Dolmdarl whip at the apartment, right?"

"Yes...but I had Elly make me a new one." Leah grins evilly as X's eyes widen.

In the lab, Elly finishes connecting a last few sets of wires, then turns from the two interconnected android frames in front of her. Hitting a few keys, she transfers JiEin's memory back into his Arbiter frame, which is now fully repaired. She disconnects the wires as JiEin's eyes flash, his main systems coming online.

"Elly, you did an excellent job. It seems you were finally able to disable that last set of locks too." JiEin says as he sits up.

"Yeah. They have to do with some sort of upgrade to the Ji-Sword, but we don't have the upgrade here..."

"Actually, we do. That's why the loaner frame was so beat up. Look in the left forearm compartment." JiEin says as he swings his legs off the table and stands. Elly removes a red item container from the loaner frame's compartment, her eyes widening.

"Ji! This is the complete set of planned upgrades for the Ji-Sword. How'd you get this?"

"I...appropriated it from some of Zionus' followers. They had taken over the lab. Technically, I suppose it could be considered recovering government property."

Elly squeals with glee as she examines the container's contents. "This should increase the power of the Ji Sword exponentially! Ah...darn. The Ji Sword's slagged. I tried to repair it, but was unable to. We need to find some other sword to fit the upgrades to." Elly's face sinks as she gets a thoughtful look on her face.

"You know Ji...with a bit of modification, we could fit these upgrades to nearly any sword. We just have to find a suitable one!"

"I have an idea..." JiEin leaves, heading to his quarters. Reaching them, he steps to a storage locker on the opposite side of the door. He withdraws a weapon capsule after a few minutes of rummaging, then closes the door. He heads back to the lab, presenting Elly with a large, double-edged metallic blade. It is longer than the Ji Sword, with a sharply pointed tip. An ornate hilt reaches back about a foot and a half from the main blade, an elaborate cross-guard projecting out to each side.

"Ji, where did you get this?" Elly asks.

"The same place I was instructed in the Kaiser style of two-handed swordsmanship. Is it compatible with the Ji Sword's upgrades?"

"With a bit of modification, yes. I'll get to work on it right away." Elly instructs Ji Ein to place the massive blade on a nearby table, wheeling over a magnetic crane to help her manipulate it.

"I have to go return something to X. I shall return shortly." JiEin takes the Agito from its capsule, holding the sheathed blade at his side. He also picks up Yasha from its capsule, and carrying both swords, makes his way to X's quarters.

JiEin travels down the winding corridors of the Resistance Headquarters, ending up at X's room. He rings the doorbell, to be answered by Leah. Wrapped in a gigantic bathrobe, the newman answers the door with a grin.

"Hello Ji. What brings you here?" She asks, beckoning him inside.

"I came to return something of X's. I retrieved the Agito and Yasha from Ragol, but was never able to return them to him. As much as I would like to control the power of Agito...they belong to him. He will likely need them in the coming conflict. Where is he, anyway?"

"Oh...heh. He's taking a shower. He and Ayame are going training after this." Leah says, as X emerges from the bathroom. He is dressed in a loose-fitting pair of pants as he pulls on a black T-shirt. Red weals run up and down his back and sides.

"Hi Ji. What's up?" X says, beginning to towel-dry his hair.

"What happened to your back...?" JiEin asks.

"Eh...run in with a Dolmdarl..." X says, throwing a side-long glance at Leah, who simply smiles.

"Oh, right. That 'weapon' that Leah requested Elly to make. Anyway, I've come to return your katanas. I forgot to give them back to you when I first retrieved them." JiEin states, handing the two sheathed blades to X. JiEin's hand spasmodically tightens on the hilt of the Agito for a split second, as he wills himself to let go.

"Sorry to torture you like that, Ji. When I don't need them...I might let you borrow the Agito to mess around with. Maybe. Assuming you don't 'forget' to return them..." X replies, smirking.

"Right...regardless, I should probably be going. Elly is attempting to forge a new sword for me, and she wanted my input during the creation process."

"Oh yeah, the Ji Sword got slagged. Well, good luck with that. I'm gonna go help Ayame try to gain some semblance of control over her conduit." X says, placing the sheathed Yasha in a portable safe. He hoists the sheathed Agito, then rummages around in the safe for a few more moments, obviously looking for something. As he continues his search, JiEin speaks up, suddenly remembering an item he'd picked up.

"X, I have something else that may interest you." JiEin says, reaching into a compartment at his waist. He withdraws a standard red item container, opening it to reveal a dully glowing purple rock inside. X gasps as he realizes what it is.

"Syncesta! You really don't want it?"

"No, I have no use for it. You've mentioned it's energy-enhancing properties before, so...here you go." JiEin hands the stone over to X, then turns to leave. "Good luck with Ayame. Nei had a very hard time with it earlier."

"Yeah...but I actually know what I'm doing." X says, withdrawing a Lavis Cannon from the safe and sheathing it in Yasha's usual place at his back. He tucks the Syncesta in a pocket as he follows JiEin out the door, grabbing a battered denim jacket as he leaves. He and JiEin part ways a few minutes down the hall, X swiftly making his way to the VR training area. When he enters, he finds his niece going through a series of stretches, clad in a plain black and red bodysuit. The Shiranui is sheathed at her back.

"Well then, let's get started." X cues up a simulation of Forest 2, placing the two in a open clearing that faintly glows in the light of a brilliant sunset.

In Zionus' citadel, Sigma passes by a legion of guards as he heads toward his master's inner sanctum, a report filed on the PDA in his hand. He walks with the confidence of a god, self-assurance oozing from every pore. Entering, he bows low.

**"My master...the supply of prisoners is growing each day. More than half have submitted to your will, and of the remaining half...a quarter have been judged suitable for the transformation process."**

"Very well. The transformations' first few tests did not go as well as I planned. Their bodies could simply not contain the power. Sigma...my creation. Have you even been able to grasp the magnitude of my design?"

"No, master. I know that you are recruiting 'followers' for some reason, and that certain of these followers are going to become soldiers...but why?"

"I am as a god. As such...belief in m increases the pool of strength I have to draw on. Not believing in me cannot decrease my power, but blind belief in my awesome might strengthens me. When I have attained enough followers, I shall unleash my true power, and annihilate this pathetic solar system. I shall then take on the Profound Darkness, and claim my place as the ruler of the cosmos."

"Master...might I ask why? You could already dominate this planet, easily."

"Yes...but it will be far more satisfying to be able to kill that fool X after knowing that the precious 'people' he was trying to protect were instrumental in their own destruction. This is not just about revenge...but that does play a large part in it. X is responsible for allowing me to tap into this great power, but he is also responsible for my most humiliating defeat. I shall crush all that he cares about before I crush him. The other inconsequential fools that have popped up to oppose me shall perish as well. Alis has already dispatched that upstart child on Rykros, and shall soon annihilate his companions. Without the rings...none shall stand against me."

"Very well, master. I shall do all that is within the powers you gifted me with to aid your cause." Sigma bows, then leaves the room.

As Sigma leaves, a brief flicker of...something...passes at the edge of Zionus' awareness. His mind trails to Rykros for a moment before going back to enforcing his will on the spell-bound captives in his prison cells.

On Rykros, Brom reenters the ship, covered in monster gore. A few body plates are out of order, but he looks none worse for wear otherwise. He enters the main room to see a fully recovered Lorna preparing a meal.

"Well, that was fast. Discovered a new fleshie-healing method?" Brom says, sheathing his weapon.

Lorna beams at him, smiling broadly. She faintly glows with vitality as she dances lightly around the room. "Yes, I'm feeling much better. But I am worried about Sage and Lissandra. Liss is still unresponsive, though her heartbeat and breathing are strong. And Sage...something feels wrong. We should probably go check on him."

"What about Yokote? He's a tough one, for a sack of slowing rotting meat."

Emerging from the sleeping quarters, looking in much better shape, Yokote replies. "I'm doing a lot better. What's with the concern all of a sudden? Run out of stuff to kill?" He grins as he walks over to the control console, his right arm held immobile in a sling.

"This...is odd. When I left, the bimbo was near-dead and you were about to pass out. And now the two of you are perfectly fine? What is this strange fleshie magic? More of your overrated glowing light shows?"

Lorna chuckles softly before replying. "We figured out a way to combine our energies, healing us both. It was very refreshing..." She carries a tray of food over to a table near the control console as Yokote begins to awkwardly work the sensors, hindered by only having one hand.

After a few moments, he replies. "Sage and Alis are still at the tower...I think. I know Alis is, but I'm not detecting Sage at all."

"Oh no! We have to go check it out." Lorna replies, her smile vanishing in an instant.

"Yeah, probably. But if we were booted from the tower before, it can happen again. He might be better off without us." Brom says.

"We have to try." Yokote reiterates, his face grim. "We may be able to at least get close to the tower."

After about ten minutes of working at the unresponsive controls, Yokote lets out a curse of frustration.

"It's the guardians. They're jamming it somehow. We may have to walk."

"I'll stay here, to see what I can do for Lissandra. Her life energy seems strong, but the lack of mental activity worries me." Lorna says.

"I'm telling you...we aren't going to be able to get close. Go look outside, fleshies." Brom says.

Lorna and Yokote look out the window, to see a vast dome of energy emanating from the tower, obscuring vision.

"Well...that idea's out. Now what?" Yokote says, sighing.

"We wait. And hope." Lorna replies.

On top of the tower, Alis strides towards the edge, Elsydeon held high. The wind blows her hair as she stares out, past the border of power that surrounds the tower. Focusing power, she prepares to warp over and finish off the last of the group, her mind still feebly trying to fight off Zionus' control. As she begins to shimmer with energy, a single gunshot rings out, catching her in the shoulder and spinning her around with a cry of pain. Unshielded, the bullet hit with considerable impact. She gasps at what stands before her.

Alis whirls about, the world going a faint pink color as the borders of reality seem to bend around her. She stares, seeing the disembodied head of Sage taunting her, as his body holds a Yasminkov, smoke still curling off the barrel. Blinking, she rubs her eyes to clear them as Sage, the tower and the horizon seem to melt into a single wash of color.

"What...what kind of trickery is this, Lutz!"

She hears a harsh laugh as the world around her goes black. When her sight returns, she sees a battered, bruised Sage standing before her, clearly not dead.

"No! I killed you...how can you still be alive?" Alis screams, a look of horror on her face as Zionus realizes his mistake.

Sage laughs again. "First of all...Lutz had nothing to do with this. I asked him to either help me or stay out of my way, and he stayed out of my way. This is me."

"How is this...possible?" Alis asks, her sword nearly falling from limp hands.

"My gift, and my curse. The powers of telekinesis...and telepathy. All my life I've struggled with learning how to control them. Telekinesis allows me to manipulate matter with my mind. Telepathy allows me to read and manipulate thoughts. Telekinesis is generally much more useful in an offensive sense...but telepathy has its uses as well. I didn't get to use it much in my career as a hunter, since neither D-cell creatures nor machines have minds. But humans... it works marvels on."

"You tricked me!"

"Pretty much, yes. I didn't dare try to read your moves in the beginning of the fight, as Zionus could have mind-blasted me with little effort. But by putting up a good show, and letting him get overconfident, he dropped his guard. I figured that even though he could manipulate your perception...I wouldn't be able to warp the 'strong' willed mind of a guardian. Luckily for me, when it counted the most, I was wrong." Sage replies, moving a bit closer.

"Right after I blasted you with Legeon...I was very drained, I'll admit. I knew you wouldn't give me time to recover. So, I lashed out with the last weapon I had available. My mind. It was simple to make you think you had killed me. I was even able to fool my friends, who are reading the sensor readings of me being fine as being 'unable to detect me.' But the biggest surprise was being able to fool Zionus. His overconfidence truly will be his downfall. But first...it's your turn. I apologize for what I'm about to do."

Sage draws his other gun, unleashing a withering rain of fire at the guardian. She blocks the first few streams of bullets, but the telekinetically-guided shots easily penetrate her guard, splashing against a barrier of light. Sage fires until his guns are empty, holstering them as he brings his hands up, creating a telekinetic shield to block her furious assault. As he fights, he feels Lutz's presence in his mind once again.

_Jonas...I am truly impressed. I must admit, you ranting earlier seemed like the talk of one who cannot back up what he is saying. But I was wrong. You do have the strength of will to defeat Zionus. I offer to you my full power, chosen. You have perservered where I saw only defeat. Take my power, and free Alis!"_

Sage steps back, unleashing a powerful telekinetic wave that blows Alis away. His body begins to glow with a fierce white light, energy beginning to swirl around him in a maelstrom of unleashed technique power. A shining white robe appears over his battered blue bodysuit, his hair flaring white as he draws on the stored energy of eons. Sparkling bolts of silver lightning appear around his body as he fully fuses with Lutz for the first time. With temporarily unlimited technique energy at his disposal, he begins a renewed attack.

Hovering off the ground, levitating himself easily, he hurls Alis into the air with a telekinetic grip before slamming her into the top of the tower. He repeats this several times, each blow increasing in intensity until she falls through the top floor. He follows, floating lightly above her.

"How can you have this much power? I nearly killed you!" she cries, Zionus' rage being felt through the link he holds over her.

"Lutz is actually doing something useful. For once. About damned time...anyway, this is really going to hurt. I apologize." Sage says, hovering about ten feet above Alis. He lets one hand fall to his side, the other extending straight forward, palm out. A swirling vortex of tecnique energy appears in his palm, splitting into three large Legeon orbs that are created from chain-cast Grants and Megid.

The blue glow cascades onto his white robes and newly white hair as the three orbs grow in size and intensity. An arcane circle similar to a Photon Blast appears to ring the three orbs as blue lines of force jump from one to the other, connecting them. He reinforces this magical barrier with a telekinetic one, containing the orbs with pure force of will until they reach critical mass.

His spell and his will focus the released energy of the three detonating Legeon orbs into a beam of concentrated power, the massive beam of energy streaking forward like a living thing, striking Alis in the chest. She briefly struggles against it before yielding, the force of the attack sending her plunging through twenty stories of the tower. She hits the ground with an incredible explosion, a large cloud of dust rising to reveal a large crater. Sage hovers down next to her, smiling.

"I told you that would hurt. Another one of those would kill you, intangible thought construct or not. And to be honest...I don't have another one in me. But if you're still willing to fight..."

Seeing Alis stand, Sage sighs. "Yeah, guess you don't learn easily. Let's finish this, the only way you'll understand. Zionus...your reckoning will come soon. I promise!"

Landing easily on the ground, Sage extends his left hand, effortlessly yanking Elysdeon from Alis' limp hand as she struggles to her feet.

"This thing helped me, you know. I was able to draw power from the spirits within the blade. It's rightfully yours, Lady Alis...but it's being used in the wrong way. Let's see if it can break this spell you're under!"

With a roar of rage, Alis leaps forward, her saber meeting the Elsydeon held in Sage's hands. He telekinetically fuels his attacks, reading her mind to anticipate her moves. After a furious series of blows, Sage bats the saber from her hand. With a sad look on his face, he takes aim and stabs Elsydeon at the weary guardian, aiming not at her but at the presence controlling her. The souls within Elsydeon leap to her aid, combining with Sage's mental attack to break Zionus' spell. Alis cries out as her mind is freed, collapsing forward. Sage places the Elsydeon on the ground gently as the power signature from Lutz fades. He reaches out, catching Alis as the guardian falls lightly into his arms.

Sage casts a quick Resta as the last of Lutz's energy boost fades from him. He hears a weary voice in his mind as his healing technique awakens Alis from her slumber.

_Sage...that was incredible. However, you burned nearly 500 years of stored technique energy in about five minutes. I need to rest and recover. You did well._ Lutz retreats into dormancy as Sage can't help but grin.

"Lady Alis...please wake up. Zionus' control over you is broken."

Alis stirs, her eyes blinking open. She sets up suddenly, pulling away from Sage.

"Who...who are you? What happened to the tower? Where am I...?" Alis begins, looking around in confusion.

"My name is Jonas Sage. I and my companions came seeking the Rings of Stars. When we arrived, we began the trials, only to have them interrupted. You, under the control of Zionus-"

"Ugh, I remember now. I banished your companions from the tower while under his control. I seriously wounded one, and may have fatally injured another. I am a failure as a Guardian..."

Sage looks at her, then shakes his head. "No, you aren't. Your very existence is tied to the power of the Great Light, a power which Zionus now controls. You were powerless to stop it."

"...That may be so, but I am the originator of the Protector Line. I shall strive to be a more diligent watcher in the future. I hope you can forgive me for the harm I have caused you." Alis says, a look of remorse on her face.

"Well, it would be easier if you'd give me the Rings of Stars. We need them to face Zionus on equal terms." Sage replies, smiling.

"Very well." With a wave of her hand, Alis produces a small leather bag. A spoken command calls the Spirit Guardians before her, and with a chanted spell they restore the Tower of Trials to its former glory. Bowing to Sage, they disincorporate. Alis hands over the bag, clasping Sage's forearm as an equal.

"You...you have the same look in your eyes as the demon. I trust that you will put these to good use. Now, let us go. I may be able to help undo the damage I caused."

Alis grasps Sage's shoulder, teleporting the two of them near the ship. Brom, Lorna and Yokote immediately leap out, weapons at the ready.

"Relax, guys. I broke the spell Zionus had put on Alis. It won't bring Liss back, but..." Sage says, a grim look on his face.

"Bring her back? Sage, you underestimate me, dear. Liss is still alive, just... unresponsive. I was thinking you could contact her and bring her back to awareness with a mindlink. I'm still rather drained from patching her and Yokote up." Lorna says.

Sage lets out the breath he was holding, no longer biting his lip. He sighs, then grabs Lorna in a bearhug.

"Thank you so much." he whispers.

_Heh, no problem. I couldn't have your morale be completely destroyed before the final battle, now could I...?_ Lorna says through a mindlink.

Alis speaks up after a few uncomfortable moments. Turning to Yokote, she beholds his mangled arm with a look of sorrow.

"Warrior...I am truly sorry. The blade of light should never be used to cleave one of its protectors. I can restore what it has taken..." Alis says.

"No, that's alright. It was my own carelessness that lost my arm." Yokote states, a steely look of resolve in his eyes.

"Then...I shall make you stronger for it. Be warned...this may hurt a bit." Alis says. She draws Elysdeon, pointing the tip at Yokote's arm as he remove the mangled appendage from the sling. Chanting, Alis projects a silvery beam of energy at Yokote that encases his forearm in a glowing cloud. He winces, staggering slightly. When the cloud dissipates, he wears a shining silver gauntlet on his right arm, covering him from the elbow down.

"That arm is a gift from the Light. You can dispel the gauntlet with a thought, or transform it into a mighty weapon. Use it to do battle with the true enemy."

"Uh...thanks." Yokote says, flexing his new arm. Concentrating, he projects an enormous purple photon blade from the top of the gauntlet. He swings it experimentally, then retracts both the blade and the gauntlet. The pale flesh of a new forearm and hand emerge from the silvery light of the dispelled gauntlet. With a thought, he wills it back on, grinning.

"I shall now return to the tower. I ask only that you stop by again before you leave for Rykros. I must prepare the wards in case Zionus attempts to attack again." Alis says. She disappears in a flash of light as the group goes into the ship.

"So, the crazy fleshbag lady wants us to make another visit. Probably to kill us, or something." Brom says, lounging against the wall.

"No...not quite. The Lady Alis is filled with a deep sorrow." Yokote replies. Lorna remains strangely quiet as Sage enters the rest area, a frown on her face.

_Zionus. You **will** pay for the defilement you have wreaked upon the Queen of Palma._ Lorna envisions more scenarios of mayhem and vengeance, fuming as Sage steps over to the bed where Lissandra lays, unmoving.

He reaches out a hand, pressing it lightly to her face. With but a thought, he links his mind to her still one, pushing deeper inside the plane of her psyche.

His astral form encounters a floating apparition of Liss, curled up in the fetal position. She is surrounded by stone walls, sobbing silently.

_"Liss...it's Sage. Please. I know you're still alive, so please...come back to us. We need you."_

He is met with silence from the unmoving Lissandra. He floats closer, reaching out to grasp her hands. At his touch, her eyes fly open.

"Sage! You're alive." Lissandra says, throwing her arms around him.

"Yeah...barely. Lutz helped out, and a last-minute stroke of inspiration. But if you hadn't sacrificed yourself...Alis would have killed me. Thank you." Sage says, embracing Liss.

"I...I had to do it. I couldn't let Zionus do that. You're needed." Liss says, beginning to cry.

"Liss..." Sage says, pushing lightly upward on her chin, forcing her to look into his eyes. "So are you. Please...come back with me. I need you. I know you'll support me through anything. Besides...someone has to keep me from getting rid of Lutz. He's useful at times, but usually far too much of a pain." Sage and Liss both laugh at this, sensing a dim sense of irritation from a sleeping Lutz.

As they regain control after helpless laughter, Liss fixes Sage with a piercing gaze."Sage..." Liss begins. Before the interlude can turn into a scene from a torrid romance novel, Liss's awakening psyche casts her back into awareness. Sage's eyes snap open as Liss sits up. They cling to each other for a few moments before letting go. Sage helps Liss to her feet, and the two exit the rest area, heading for the main cockpit.

"Lissandra! I knew you'd make it." Lorna says, smiling.

"Liss! Good to see you!" Yokote says, a big grin on his face as well.

"Hmph...another surprisingly resilient meatbag. Keep this up, and I'll have to start making more kills to restore some sort of balance." Brom replies, lounging against a chair.

"Well, let's go to the Tower. We have the Rings of Stars, but Alis wanted to say something to us first." Sage says. The preflight checks go smoothly, and the Landale quickly takes off, crossing the distance to the tower effortlessly.

The group is warped inside as they land, appearing in Alis' sitting room at the top of the tower.

X and Ayame stand about ten feet apart, each holding their hands at their sides. X gazes at Ayame for a few moments, taking in the changes that have occurred in his niece.

"Wow kiddo, you've really grown." X says, reaching in his pocket for the Syncesta.

"Yeah. It all happened so fast. It was weird. There's still weird stuff happening to me now, too." Ayame replies, as X removes the faintly glowing Syncesta from his pocket. "Ooh, Uncle...what's that?"

"This is a Syncesta. It's also part of your first lesson. Can you tell me what it is that happens when you use your conduit?" X asks, lightly tossing the Syncesta from hand to hand.

"Well...I get really upset, or scared, or mad...and it just takes over." Ayame says, puzzled.

"You're close...but you're wrong. Your emotions fuel it, but it doesn't take over. To truly use it, you must be in control of your emotions. Take this Syncesta, for example. Zero, my id, hunted this thing obsessively. He wanted to use it on this." X continues, drawing the Lavis from its sheath. The purple blade glows dully, reacting with the Syncesta.

"Uncle, what's an 'id'?" Ayame asks.

"The thing inside you that wants things, basically. It has no concerns other than for what it wants. It doesn't care who or what is in the way of what it desires at the moment. It is desire, personified. Now...can you tell me why that's important to the use of the conduit?"

Ayame thinks for a moment before responding. "Because...desire is one of the strongest emotions we can experience, right? And...when you really think about it, a lot of other emotions are simply different types of desire." Ayame continues, the words beginning to come out in a flood as true understanding hits her. "Like love. It's desiring to protect something special to you. Or anger. It's desiring to have something go your way. Or fear. It's desiring that something that scares you not be there. Right?"

"Close. Some of those are kinda...iffy. But I think you get the general idea. Now, why can't we just let our desires overcome us? Wouldn't it be easier if we just let the pure emotion of our desire run wild, giving our conduits near endless power?" X asks. _Wow, she's really matured. She's getting this faster than I thought she would._

"Um...no! No, it wouldn't. Because then we can't control what we're doing. Like you with Zero...like me with Danielle. And if we can't control what we are doing, to use that power for a good cause...then it's not worth using." Ayame says, a frown coming over her face.

"Exactly! Our ids...the personifications of our desires...they can be raving, homicidal lunatics. But to fully make use of the power, they can't be the ones in control. It doesn't matter what your id wants. It doesn't matter what they are trying to do. What matters is what you are feeling, and that you can turn that feeling to control. Do you understand?" X asks.

"I...think so. I just need to find something to focus on, and use that to fuel my conduit? Instead of losing control, I need to...take control!" Ayame says, a spark of recognition lighting up her eyes.

"Bingo. You're doing pretty well, kiddo. Now...the only time you haven't used your id to fuel your conduit was when you and I were fighting Zionus. Think back...why were you fighting?" X asks, beginning to casually juggle the Syncesta in mid-air with the Lavis.

"Because, I wanted to fight with you. I wanted to be strong like you, and I wanted to protect all those people he was trying to hurt. It just kinda...happened. I didn't snap like I did when Danielle takes over." Ayame replies.

"Good, good. Now, you need to be able to focus that desire at will, without losing control over it. Let's get started, shall we?" X says, catching the Syncesta with his free hand. "When you're ready...you will have conquered your desire. Like...this!" X tosses the Syncesta into mid-air, cleaving it in half with the Lavis before it hits the ground.

"Wow...wasn't that really valuable?" Ayame asks.

"Yes, it was. It's something Zero hunted for ages. But...I've conquered my selfish desires, for the most part. My desires still exist...but they no longer control me." X replies, sheathing the Lavis and withdrawing Agito. "Now, come at me. The way I first learned how to control my conduit was with desperation. It's relatively simple to use the power when you're in deadly peril. I'm not going to hold back. I'll admit...I'm not at full strength, but I'm still a pretty good match. Using Shiranui, try to stay alive."

"A...alright." Ayame replies, nervous. She draws the blade, purple wisps of technique energy spiraling off of it. She settles into a defensive stance that's an unconscious mirror image of X's.

Before she can react, X leaps forward, slashing with Agito. Ayame brings her blade up in a clumsy parry, getting knocked off of her feet. X makes another slash, igniting the sword with Foie as he aims at her shoulder. _I'm sorry kiddo...this is going to hurt, but it's the only way I know of. You have to get angry..._

To his surprise, Ayame deflects the Agito blade with a rapid-fire stream of Barta, quelling the flame. Spinning on one hand, she sweeps X's legs out from underneath him as she stands. She descends in an over-hand slash with two hands, which X barely rolls out of the way of.

The Shiranui bites deep into the simulated turf, lodging for a second before Ayame pulls it free. X is on his feet, counter-attacking as she struggles to block. The two blades meet in a flurry of blocks and parries, culminating in a collision of Foie techniques that Ayame wins. As she lunges forward for a strike, X activates his conduit and blasts her backwards with a Demon Roar. She slides backwards, barely able to deflect the glowing black halo.

Seeing that she can block it, X continues, blasting a series of Demon Roars at her. She manages to nullify the first few with techniques, but a few hit her and explode. X watches his niece struggle for a brief moment, surprised as she easily extinguishes the dark flames with a powerful Resta.

"Well, ready to...hey!" X says in shock as Ayame leaps at him, firing a series of Foies. He dodges the first two by flying upwards, nullifying the third with a Demon Roar as the fourth is sliced in half by Agito. He gasps for breath momentarily, realizing that in his weakened state his niece is nearly a match for him in a conventional fight. X flips away, his single wing holding him easily aloft.

"Ok Ayame...you've certainly gotten better at combat. But, here's the real test. I'm going to use my full power. Try to stop me, if you can." X concentrates, releasing a black wave of energy as lightning sparks around him. Ayame looks up in shock as he channels a series of Demon Roars. She dodges from side to side, becoming increasingly more frantic as the explosions come closer and closer.

Finally, she is unable to dodge as an explosion launches her into the air. She struggles for a moment as X commits himself to the attack, charging for a Ryuenjin. The flaming slash bats Ayame higher upward, consuming her body with minor burns. X flips in mid-air, striking downward with a Hyouretsuzan that knocks her to the ground. As she struggles to get up, he charges Agito with electrical energy and stabs a Raitonken at her. Ayame lets out a scream of frustration, a single black wing shooting from her back. She holds Shiranui in her left hand, casting Razonde with her right as she pours lightning into the blade. She dashes forward, meeting X's stab with a slash that knocks him towards the ground.

"Raikousen!" she cries, slashing several more times with the lightning blade before batting him to the ground with a two-handed slash. He recovers as he hits the ground, and they both charge a Demon Roar. The two black halos, one blue-tinged and one purple-tinged, collide in mid air, the shockwave from the explosion knocking both down. When they recover, neither is in conduit mode.

"That was a nice shot."

"Thank you. I think I can control it now...sorta."

"Good."

X and Ayame relax, regenerating their technique energy as they lounge on a simulation of Gal Da Val beach.

"Uncle..." Ayame begins, leaning up. Scratches, minor burns and bruises show through rents on her clothing, but X is in similar shape from the day's training.

"Yes, Ayame?"

"You've been...kinda mean today. I know you're trying to train me, but you were never this mean before I changed. Do you not like me with the new way my body looks?" Ayame says, her voice revealing she is clearly on the verge of tears.

X turns to look at her, his hands still laced behind his head. _Dammit. Yes, she's somewhat attractive to someone that's not her Uncle. She's grown into a fine young woman. I was trying to be hard on her, because I know I usually tend to hold back for a pretty face. But she's not just a pretty face. She's **my** niece. I guess I took it a bit overboard._

"Ayame, honey...no matter what you look like on the outside, no matter what changes you go through, I want you to know this. Me, and Leah, and everyone else...we still love you. You're still the same person we know and love, you just look a bit different."

Ayame gives into her tears, leaning over and hugging X. "Thank you, Uncle. I was so worried. A lot of times I just wanted to go back to the way I used to look. This new body is so weird. Sometimes I hate it..."

"Ah, don't hate it. It's a natural part of growing up. You got it a bit faster than most girls, but you should be proud of being as beautiful as you are." X gives her a brief hug, releasing her as she sits up, resting her chin on her cupped hands, her legs crossed in her lap. Ayame gazes out over the water, lost in thought.

"Uncle...one more thing. I figured out some of the stuff you said you'd tell me when I was older, but some of it still is confusing."

X sighs. "Alright, go for it. You've made a lot of progress today. You get three free questions."

Ayame beams at this, radiating happiness. "Ok, for one...why do you look so scared when Aunt Leah takes out that whip?"

"Because she whips me like a schoolboy. Next question."

"So, what are your other two questions, Ayame?" X asks, leaning back as he stares up at the simulated night sky.

Ayame thinks for a moment, then her face suddenly lights up. "Why'd you pick Auntie Leah of all people to be your special best friend Uncle?"

X smiles to himself for a moment, then nods in assent. "...Not a word of what I'm about to say gets back to your aunt, understand?"

"Ok!"

"She's...soft."

"Soft?" Ayame asks, mystified.

"Yeah. Her legs, her bosom, her hips...but mostly her heart. When I hold her, it feels like there's not a single thing wrong with the world. I understand all of her quirks just like she reads me like a book. Behind every slap, punch, scratch, whip crack, I feel that wonderful person who can make me feel...wanted."

"Wow..."

"...Doesn't hurt she's a demon in the sac either. God damn. These welts still sting."

The silence hangs on the air for a moment, as Ayame takes all this in. "So...you picked her not only for the way she looks, but the way she makes you feel?"

"Yeah, that's it. I'm not quite that shallow. Although she is one of the hottest women I know. Her ass, it just..." Remembering he is still talking to his niece, X abruptly breaks off into another line of conversation. "So, you've got one more. Make it a good one."

"Well, I don't know. All the stuff I really wanted to ask about has been pretty much explained. It all has to do with girls. Hmm...oh." Ayame becomes suddenly silent.

X sits up, sensing a change in the demeanor of his niece. "Ayame, what is it?" he asks, as he looks over. Ayame has her face buried in her hands. He moves closer, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"What's wrong?" X says, concern evident in his voice. Sparks of purple lightning begin to dance around his niece, forming into a glowing aura. X is hurled backwards by an outwardly-expanding ring of force as Ayame stands, the purple light that begins to dance around his niece growing brighter and brighter until it becomes to bright to look at. A distant crack of thunder is heard, as bolts of lightning strike from a suddenly cloudy sky. When the glare fades, the purple aura around Ayame has faded to a dull red. Danielle turns and grins evilly at him, floating lightly above the beach, wind stirring her dark red hair.

X smiles, taking his hand away from the hilts of his sheathed blades. He crosses his arms and turns his head towards Danielle, nodding slightly.

"You know, I was wondering when you'd pop up again. I've got a few questions for you." X says, as Danielle begins to laugh.

"Look at you, acting all calm and collected. You do realize that in your tired state, I could break you in half?" Danielle says, pointing a hand at X as she channels energy for a Demon Roar.

"Yeah, I guess. I also know you won't. Ayame seems to be in more control of you now. I was half-expecting you to manifest earlier. If I'd put her under that much stress a few days ago, I'm certain you would've shown up and gone psycho. So she must be allowing you to pop up. And if she is, that means she'll stop you before I have to. So...what's up? Why are you here, Ms. Glowstick?"

Danielle glares at the name, but dispels the attack she was charging. "Since we're playing Twenty Questions...I have a few for you."

"Alright. Go ahead." X says, sitting down.

"Why the hell did I never get any love, any respect, any affection! I was trapped inside that brat's mind for nearly 17 years, with no escape. I had to sit and watch while she led a happy life, pushing all of her negative emotions onto me. All her pain, all her anger, all her fear, all her sadness, all her rage...dumped onto me. And I had to just accept it all. And you...you did nothing. Why!" Danielle screams, releasing a burst of power that turns the sand around her to glass in her anger.

"For one, I had no clue you existed. Did you ever do anything that any reasonable person could have taken as a sign of an alternate personality or whatever the hell you are existing inside Ayame?" X asks pointedly, fixing Danielle with an inquisitive look.

"Well...you should've known, Mr. Omnipotent Hero!" Danielle says, glaring.

"Known what? Ayame was one of the happiest, healthiest kids I've ever seen. She seemed to handle all the stuff we went through beautifully, with no psychological trauma whatsoever. I even found out that my mom periodically scanned her for mental health, demonic possession and the like, and found nothing. Even the school psychologist gave her a clean bill of health. How was I supposed to know that you were running around inside her, angsting yourself into a pit of despair?"

"I...I..." Danielle falters, turning her gaze towards the ground.

"Now, don't get me wrong. If I had known you were in there, I would have tried to help you. But it seems Ayame's ego completely suppressed you. There was no outlet for you, her id, until she hit puberty. I guess the changes to her brain that took place gave you a way out." X stands slowly, stretching.

"I...I guess. But being stabbed through the chest by you was really a big help, Mr. Superhero." Danielle snips, beginning to pout.

"Yeah...about that. I wasn't able to completely break Zionus' control with that. But if I'd given in...it would have hit Ayame in the heart instead of right between her heart and lungs. I managed to throw the stab off, missing anything vital, but I underestimated the amount of control Zionus had over me at that point. Resisting the order to kill Ayame drained most of the power I'd been able to build up, and it left me nearly helpless during his next brainwashing session. He clamped down, and I wasn't able to do much more than watch until after he stole most of my strength to create Sigma. I'm not happy about that, but...it could have been a lot worse." X answers, a slight edge in his voice."

"Hmph." Danielle says, turning away to pout. "You always manage to save everyone else, but when it comes to saving your niece, you..."

"Fine, don't believe me. I guess I'll have to show you." X says languidly, keying in a combination of commands on the control to the simulator. A holographic image of Zionus appears behind Danielle as she whirls. She blasts it with a Demon Roar to no effect. It points a finger at her, and a beam of energy shoots from the simulation's hand, striking her in the head. A haze of white energy appears around her for a moment, and when it fades even her usual aura is gone.

"Labyrinth and the medical staff came up with this after treating me. It's a simulation of Zionus' brainwashing technique, running at about half strength. They designed it to test if there was any way around it."

Danielle simply nods, unable to speak.

X keys in a few more commands, and the scene shifts to a luxuriant field of flowers, the colors bursting with life. A Pal Rappy appears, waddling up towards Danielle. It reaches her, but instead of attacking, it begins nuzzling her leg.

"This is how the Rappies were before Falz. Now, pet the rappy." Danielle resists slightly, the movements jerky as she strains, her hand moving up to lightly stroke the creature's feathered head. The bird coos with pleasure as she pets it, a look of pure anger appearing on her face. She glares daggers at X, but is unable to move.

"All this happiness and life must be getting to you, huh? Try to resist. Come on." X says, smiling. "This is a simulation Ayame had Elly program a couple of years ago, to be used in the lab's VR simulators. It works here too. It's all her favorite stuff."

A table appears before them, set with a full meal. X walks over, then lounges in one of the chairs. "You're really hating this, aren't you? The control should wear off in a minute or two. Now...I'm going to loosen it slightly. I want you to charge up as much conduit power as you can. You've got thirty seconds. Try to break the hold. I'm going to put it up to 70 of the strength of Zionus' mind-control. This simulator can't get to the level he used on me, but this is the maximum it can get. Build up power and try to break free. And...go!" X says, hitting a few more keys as a dull white glow settles around Danielle. She struggles, every fiber of her being straining to break free. A dull red glow appears around her, her wings struggling to break free of the confining white cocoon. Her body trembles, yet is unable to break the barrier.

_He surely must be bluffing. There's no way anything could resist this._ Danielle thinks. She hears a faint voice in her head as she struggles.

"_He's not bluffing. I tried to make mental contact with him, and the strain he was under was at least a thousand times worse than what you're enduring. His entire willpower was focused into a pinpoint of resistance, using everything he had. Even then, he wasn't able to completely break free. But it was far more than anyone else I've ever known could have managed." Ayame's older self says. "It's a good thing he's so stubborn."_

"You're lying!" Danielle says, focusing on trying to break free.

"I can't lie to you mind-to-mind. You'd be able to tell. Maybe now you'll realize what he went through. You need to let go of the angst, Danielle. He and the rest of our family would have surely helped you if they could've." With that comment, the mental dialogue ceases.

Danielle slumps to the ground as X releases the mental hold. Her body is sheened with sweat, and she is trembling. X walks over to her, gently picks her up and carries her to the chair. He sits her down, then steps away.

"Well, now you know. I'm going to destroy this now. Only one copy was made, and it was kept under heavy security. This simulation is far too dangerous."

"What...why?" Danielle manages, still shaking.

"If anyone knew what Zionus was really capable of, their will to fight would be completely gone. I decided before Ayame and I went into this training session that she would need to know, too. But showing it to you is just as good, as you'll probably be the first to face him. Now, I'm destroying it." X says, withdrawing a disk from the PDA he carries. He hurls it into the air, then obliterates it with a Demon Roar.

"Why...why would she need to know?" Danielle asks.

"Because. Her and I are the only two that are strong enough for Zionus to use as a tool. Anyone else would crack under the strain of the mind-control, and be useless to him. But we are strong enough to retain our abilities, and be more than just mindless puppets. I think the conduit has something to do with it, but...there's more to it than that."

"The self-control that is necessary to use the conduit. It's also excellent practice for resisting Zionus' control." Danielle says.

"Exactly. Now that that's out of the way...let's eat." X says, sitting down.

"Simulated food...?" Danielle asks with disdain.

"Nope. I had Ji cook this up after we got done training. I was saving it for after Ayame and I were done talking, but since you're here...you can enjoy it too." 

"How do you know all this? How did you know I'd show up?" Danielle asks, reaching for a pair of chopsticks.

"I assumed that you would probably show up at some point, and I figured I should be ready for when you did. I've got some questions for you." X says, as Danielle begins to devour her food.

"Mm...good. Well, I'm far too drained to kill you, so I suppose I'll humor you." Danielle says a few minutes later, after polishing off three bowls of noodles.

"Ji is a very good chef. Now...you're basically Ayame's version of Zero, correct? An alternate personality that reflects the desires of her id."

"Something like that, yes." Danielle says, sighing as she sets her empty bowl aside.

"And Ayame's the ego?"

"No, not exactly. You and Zero divided your mind into two. Ayame's mind is divided into three. It's myself, the young Ayame and an older version of her. Well...more mature is a more apt description than 'older.' "

"And the older version is the superego? The conscience?" X asks, taking a few bites of his food.

"No. The younger, childlike version is basically the superego. She sees the world in black and white, good and bad. The superego was in control for most of her childhood."

"Ah. That would be why she never really got into that much trouble, eh? Her superego kept her walking the straight and narrow."

"And kept her from having any real fun..." Danielle mutters. "Anyway, when Dr. Hahn released the genetic locks that kept her from fully developing, the ego and myself, the id, were enabled to have more power. When something happens that her superego is completely incapable of dealing with, control gets pushed to either me or the ego. You stabbing her, Sigma nearly killing her, stuff like that...it loosens the superego's control. The more it happens, the more control of her psyche is released to go to either myself or the ego."

"So eventually...the three of you will be in balance?" X asks, drinking some tea.

"We already are. We're at a bit of a stalemate. But...I suppose we can coexist for now."

"Hmm. Is there any way of integrating the three of you?"

"No. And don't even mention that prospect again. I am not losing control of myself to that brat." Danielle snarls.

"Alright, fine. But that means that you'll likely be the one that does the real fighting against Zionus, not Ayame. You do realize that, right?" X says, looking into her eyes.

"Yeah, yeah...I can handle it. And after what you've showned me...he really, truly does deserve to die more than anyone I've ever met." Danielle says, a look of rage on her face.

"Definitely. But we can take him down."

"Oh yeah, that reminds me. You lied to the brat earlier, didn't you? When you said you couldn't beat him at full power."

"Sort of."

"What do you mean, 'sort of'! Can you beat him, or can't you?" Danielle says, a sudden look of fear in her eyes.

"If Ayame knew she still had a 'safety net', she wouldn't try as hard. But what I said wasn't exactly a lie, either. It is technically impossible for me to beat him by myself. Or anyone else, for that matter."

"Explain. There must be some sort of trick, or something..." Danielle curls up in her chair.

"Well, it's pretty simple. We have to cut his connection to the Great Light, then destroy him while it's cut. I can blast him to oblivion fairly easily, but as long as the connection's still active, he'll just regenerate. To do any lasting damage, we have to unlink him from the Great Light.. But to cut the connection, we need to get him to use up power while within the interference field created by the Rings. So, we need at least five other people there."

"Um...ok. That makes no sense."

"The Rings were originally created by the Great Light, and derive their power from it. If Zionus expends the Great Light's power while near them, they will absorb the expended power, draining the power he uses to sustain himself. Eventually, enough power will be drained to allow a strong enough blast to sever the connection. Then...he dies." X says, smiling at the thought.

"So, you basically just meant that you can't beat him without the Rings, right?" Danielle asks.

"Eh, pretty much. I'm still recovering from being drained to create Sigma, but you and I working together should easily be able to sever his connection. Hell, if I need to, I can sacrifice enough of myself to do it even while weakened. The only problem is going to be enduring the firepower he's going to be tossing around until he's weak enough. But, I'm sure we can pull it off."

"I...guess so." Danielle stands, stretching. "I'm rather tired. I'm going to give the brat control back now. It was enlightening."

"Wait just a second. Now that you know why no one helped you...are you still all angsty and rage-filled?"

"Perhaps. But I'll try to aim towards more...deserving... targets now."

"Alright. Well...come here." X says, motioning to Danielle. She complies, looking puzzled.

He hugs her as she comes close, holding her. She stiffens for a second, then relaxes. "You're like the y little niece I never knew I had. But...I'll protect you like I protect Ayame. You have my word." X whispers, as Danielle smiles. A single tear streams down her cheek as she reverts back to Ayame. X keys in a command that switches the scenery back to Gal Da Val beach as his niece comes to.

"I fell asleep?" Ayame asks groggily.

"Yeah. You were pretty tired. But you did great during training. Let's call it a day..." X says, standing. He picks up his exhausted niece and leaves the VR field.

Deep within Zionus' citadel, a select group of prisoners are led to a well-hidden lab. The terrified captives pass several cells, inside which are abominations that in a just world would never be seen by the light of day. White-coated scientists wander around aimlessly, their consciousnesses held in the vise grip of Zionus' mind control. The stony faced guards select one of the prisoners, a scruffy looking man, and strap him to a nearby table. IVs are hooked up to him by a silent, blank-eyed nurse that is entirely oblivious to his screams. 

The guards stand nearby as the head scientist, recently "converted" by a session of Zionus' brainwashing, begins the transformation process by injecting a mixture of powerful chemicals and D-cell enzymes into the intravenous line. Sigma watches languidly as the dying man's body begins to be cannibalized by the ravenous D-cell parasites, his body taking on a shimmering black shell as neon traces run up and down the length of his torso and limbs. One final scream is given off as the last glimmer of true life fades from him. The scientists hook up the apparatus, attaching pieces of machinery to his body that glow with a faint light. The D-cells fight to take over the mechanical implants, their unceasing multiplication held in check by periodic bursts of light from two overhead projectors.

The lead scientist speaks in a colorless monotone. "After ten minutes, subject 647's vital signs are stable, despite the overwhelming D-cell infection. With perfection of the suspended-animation formula, stage one of Project Seraph is complete. As per the master's instructions, we shall move to stage two. Lord Sigma, if you please..."

**_The master's plan seems to be working after all. It seems rather overly complicated, but I suppose I should not doubt his wisdom. This...thing's soul is near the surface, held on a knife-edge between life and death. If it can be sustained that way, it shall make a near perfect vessel for divine essence. When the Seraphs are complete, they will be an invincible army to spread the glory of Lord Zionus. Ironic that the D-cells from Falz also make such a perfect conductor for the energies of the Great Light._** Sigma thinks.

**"Very well."** Sigma replies, strolling up to stand beside the table. With a wave of his hand, he forms a sphere of divine light. He releases it effortlessly, the orb floating over to lodge itself in the man's chest. It pulses, purging the D-cell infection from his body, leaving an empty shell behind. As the dark contamination fades, the light spreads throughout the man's body, causing the display lights on the implants to spring to life with a soft glow.

**_"Master? Is the vessel ready?"_** Sigma asks telepathically.

**_"Yes. It's accepting the power easily. The first of my new Seraphs are complete. Now, to bring it to full power."_** Zionus says, feeding a small tendril of divine energy into the new creature. Its body releases a rippling wave of light as it easily snaps the restraints. It sits up, a stone-like mask obscuring its face as it turns its gaze towards Sigma, two blue lights shining softly within the deep recesses of its head. The same blue light traces winding paths up and down the energy channels the D-Cell parasites had carved. The Seraph perches, awaiting an order.

**"Well, Dr. Camano...it appears we no longer need you."** Sigma drawls, as Zionus releases his hold on the Doctor's mind.

"What...what's going on? Where am I?" The lead scientist says, slumping to the ground as he regains control of his body. A look of abject terror crosses his face as he beholds the Seraph.

**"You've just completed the first of Lord Zionus' Seraph army. You should be happy to have done your part to glorify the master. But now...seeing as you are the only one with the knowledge on how to reverse the process..."** Sigma nods towards the Seraph, who emits a high-pitched shriek before leaping off the table with frightening agility to land in a crouch in front of the doctor.

It raises its right arm, the pincer-like appendage at the end opening to release a shining photon saber. The blade extends about two feet, the point grazing a scorched hole in the stone floor as the arm lowers back to its side. It rocks back and forth in eagerness, glowing with power. A compartment on its left forearm opens, a thin beam of energy emanating from it. The beam splits into two, then four, cascading lines of blue light forming into a circular shield that hovers over its arm. Its weapons active, it begins to lope towards the doctor at a rapid pace.

"Aaah!" Dr. Camano says, getting to his feet. He scrambles up and begins to run, heading towards the door. As he gets to full speed, the Seraph leaps into the air, wings of energy extending off the two vane-like projections on its hunched back. It takes flight, grabbing the hapless scientist with its enlarged left hand, the claws raking his flesh. He screams for a brief moment as he is slammed into the stone wall by the flying Seraph. It flutters to the ground, landing with the doctor held easily in its left hand. He is held aloft as the Seraph drains his life force, his very soul, the bright red glow flowing into its arm. A blue flash is seen as the energy is assimilated, the Seraph holding its prize up. With a final screech, it impales him with the photon saber, stabbing it into his torso before ripping him asunder.

**_"Excellent. I gained the soul energy that it absorbed, and it also killed very efficiently. It is the perfect weapon. Production shall begin as planned."_** Zionus relays telepathically, as Sigma orders the soldiers to clean up the mess.

**"I am happy, master. Your glorious new world is just beginning."**Sigma replies aloud.

**_"Sigma...I have another job for you. Come to the throne room, immediately. It is time you finish those fools on Rykros once and for all. The boy was more resourceful than I anticipated, and he was able to defeat Alis."_** Zionus says, as Sigma teleports to his master's side.

Appearing in a shimmering pillar of light, the clone bows deeply before his master. **"I shall do your bidding, my lord. They shall not leave Rykros alive."**

"Go then. I must go break the resolve of the final few rebels. Then, the Seraphs shall cleanse this world of all who oppose my glory." Zionus opens a warp gate for his minion with a mere thought, the coalescing pool of light springing into existence behind him.

On Rykros, Sage makes mental contact with Alis.

_"Ok, we're ready to leave. You wanted to see us before we left?"_

"Yes. Please step on the warp circle outside your ship."

_What warp circle...?_ Sage thinks, as he looks out one of the Landale's windows. A faintly glowing blue ring appears on the ground as he smiles to himself.

_Oh...that one. Alright._Sage and the others leave the ship, walking towards the warp circle.

"Hopefully it'll be as entertaining as last time..." Brom quips as the five vanish in a shimmer of light.

They reappear on the top floor of Alis' tower, inside the anteroom where Sage first confronted her.

The Protector motions for them to sit as they enter. After a few moments, she begins to speak.

"I wish to apologize for my earlier actions, and offer any possible assistance I can give. I was not in control of myself, but I vow to redeem my honor. Is there anything you require before you leave?" Alis asks.

"At the moment, no. We just need to hurry back to Pioneer with the Rings. But when we're ready to go after Zionus, you'd be a big help." Sage says.

"I will see what I can do. Being tied to the Great Light as I am, I am not certain how much of my power Zionus will be able to negate by abusing the Great Light's mandate. But I will give my all. To avoid provoking a preemptive attack, I shall remain here until your preparations are complete. You can contact me when you are ready." Alis replies.

"Good idea. If we bring you there now, he may just dispel the ties that keep you on this plane. We need to have him distracted first, I guess." Lissandra says.

"Yes. I would prefer not to hide in the shadows like this, but I suppose I must wait until the time is right to strike." Alis stands and walks over to the window as she says this.

Staring out onto the plains of Rykros, she sighs. "It is an strange day when the Protectors are planning how to defeat something backed by the power of the Great Light..."

"It will be easy. All flesh-based creatures have one glaring weakness. Dismemberment. Zionus, although not exactly a typical weak fleshling, should be just as simple to terminate." Brom replies. Sage's group rises to leave, as Alis holds out a hand. A look of horror spreads slowly over her face as a loud whine of energy is heard coming closer.

"No... He has sent his disciple. Make haste!" Alis says, as the wall behind her disintegrates in a white flash. Sigma appears before them, hovering lightly, his wings spread.

**"The master wishes that you die. It is my privilege to carry out that wish."** Sigma says, as he charges up an Angelic Scream and fires, the white halo exploding in a burst of blinding light and devastating force that sends those inside the room flying. Sigma hovers, an arrogant smile on his face as he prepares to finish off his stunned prey. Alis is the first to recover, slowly getting to her feet with rage in her eyes.


	13. Oncoming Maelstrom

Within Zionus' citadel, the newly successful Seraph creation process spurs many of his enslaved followers to action. On his orders, they begin readying prisoners for the transformation process, and the army grows rapidly.

Eriror walks into the throne room, bowing deeply before beginning to speak. He is accompanied by Kimiko and the recently repaired Shard.

"Master, your deadline for the sacrifice nears. You wished for us to report to you before carrying out your orders?"

**"Yes. Sigma has been dispatched to finish off those fools on Rykros. When the pathetic Resistance comes to try and rescue their companion, we shall crush them. The Seraphs shall soon be ready to sweep over Pioneer 2 and destroy all who deny my glory."** Zionus says, standing.

**"Gather the captives that shall be sacrificed, and ready the broadcast equipment. I expect those fools to make their move within the hour."**

The three bow and leave, to gather the few prisoners deemed unsuitable for Seraph transformation, Lucca among them.

In Resistance headquarters, Lab's plan finally begins to come together as the carefully-selected strike team appears.

The Racast stands to address the gathering of soldiers.

"You are all volunteers here. Both for this group and this mission. I would not ask any of you to do this if I did not deem it necessary. However...we must not allow Zionus to intimidate and subvert the people of Pioneer 2 any longer."

"We may not be able to destroy Zionus on this mission, but we can at least rescue some of the prisoners he has taken. Many are ex-hunters, and those who vehemently resist his rule. They can prove to be valuable allies." Labyrinth says, looking towards the door as X and Leah slowly walk in to stand with JiEin, Elly, Keiko and Neifirst. Nyreal stands in a corner, leaning lightly against the wall.

The Dreamchasers walk in as Labyrinth begins to go over the plan, followed soon by Cranberry, Striker and Black Raiden.

"Strike units, consisting of Nyreal's unit and the units assigned to accompany the Dreamchasers will breach the citadel's defenses, and endeavor to make a path for the main force. They will hold our escape path open. It is their job to infiltrate and disable the defenses, then hold the line."

Nyreal flashes a grin, as the Dreamchasers nod. "After that, the main force will come through. It consists of two shield units that will assemble the shields that should stave off Zionus for a brief time. Each shield unit is accompanied by two regular assault units. The main force will be led by the units under my command, and the group assigned to X and his companions. We will drive forward and rescue the prisoners, then the group under Cranberry will escort them to safety as we hold off Zionus's forces. As soon as the prisoners are clear, we will make our escape. It is uncertain how long the shield units will hold up, but we should have at least fifteen minutes. Is anyone uncertain as to what their assignment is?"

A soldier in the front ranks speaks up. "I know exactly what my assignment is, sir. It's to kill that bastard Zionus and rescue Commander Lucca!" The soldier's sentiments are echoed up and down the line, as soldiers begin to cheer.

As the cheering crowd of soldiers disperses to prepare, the group leaders gather to go over last minute plans with Labyrinth.

"I hope they realize that they may die on this run..." Nei begins, as they meet up.

"Optimistic, aren't we?" Axios quips.

Neifirst glares at him before replying. "Our chances of survival are only moderately better than theirs. Do we even know if those shields can hold?"

"Relax babe. We'll do fine, and you'll live to go out on a date with me afterwards." Nyreal says, flashing a smile.

"If it wasn't for the fact that you're probably going to die a horrible death soon anyway, I'd gut you right here and now." Neifirst snarls, drawing her Meteor Cudgel.

"Nei, cut it out. You'll get to do enough fighting to satisfy even you on this run, don't worry." Leah says, as Labyrinth approaches.

"Lab, are you certain that Nyreal's and our groups will be enough to hold the escape route open? The odds seem like they'd be nearly overwhelming." Nova asks.

"The area of the citadel we are planning to breach is lightly defended, according to preliminary scans. You and the Dreamchasers were chosen for this for your excellence in infiltration missions. But it is a volunteer mission." Labyrinth replies.

"Heh, I'm not backing out or anything. I'm only suggesting that you might want to have a larger section of the rear-guard force follow behind us as soon as we've breached the walls, instead of waiting for us to secure it. They can mop up while we go about setting up a defensive perimeter. We can disable the defenses and take down the guards with relative ease, but holding it will be a bit harder." Nova says.

Cranberry speaks up. "If Nova's group can hold the line, Striker, Raiden and I can probably get all the prisoners out with only half the troops you assigned us. Assigning the other half of our group to reinforce Nova's unit would make things easier on all of us. If they have a larger force, they can keep it clear before we have to fight our way through."

"I suppose that does make sense." Labyrinth says. Typing a few keys on his PDA, he relays the information to the troop leaders. "Any other suggestions?"

"We're going to be accompanying you on the main attack, right?" JiEin asks. "If so...perhaps we should go directly after Zionus once the shields break. We may not be able to do much significant damage, but we can likely keep him busy."

"That's incredibly dangerous, JiEin..." Labyrinth begins, but X cuts him off.

"We know, but we've all discussed it, and we can handle it. We're the best suited to do it." Leah says.

"Very well. However, I can't ask you to do that until we have no other choice." Labyrinth answers, after debating it for a few moments.

"Relax Labby. I can blast the hell out of him, and it'll be fine. We can't kill him without the rings, but I can definitely make sure he's kept busy." X says. "Speaking of which, is Sage going to be able to get the rings?"

"...There has been no communications since Zionus' attack. I am beginning to get worried." Labyrinth says.

"Well, we'll have to get along without them. Zionus doesn't seem willing to use his full power for some reason. We can bank on that arrogance and use it to at least distract him." X replies, looking around at the group.

"Sage won't let us down, I know it." Raiden says. "If he says he's going to get the rings, he'll get them."

"We'll just have to wait and see. I've gotten intermittent telepathic communications from him before, and I'm guessing if something bad happened, I'd feel it." Nova says, as the rest of the group seems lost in thought.

"Very well. We should get going. We will be beginning to teleport to the staging area in ten minutes. Make your last-minute preparations. And...thank you all. We could not do this without you." Labyrinth says.

The group disperses, heading to their individual quarters.

Keiko catches up to X and Leah as they walk back to their room. "How's Ayame doing? I haven't seen her in a while." Keiko asks.

"She's fine, but she's completely drained from the training earlier. It was the first time she'd really controlled her conduit, and the experience takes a hell of a lot out of you the first time." X says.

"Alright. Well, I was just wondering. I'll meet up with you in a few minutes, guys." Keiko runs off, as X and Leah enter their room.

"X, you're not planning on bringing her with us, are you?" Leah asks as the door shuts.

"Hell no. It's way too dangerous for her, and she still has an imperfect control of her powers. If we had the Rings, it'd be fine...but in this state, she could get mind controlled like I did." X replies as he begins to gather his combat equipment. He grabs a blue and white Humar suit from the closet after studying the selection for a few moments, then puts it on. He is strapping his katanas on as Leah checks her equipment for signs of wear. After a few minutes, they are ready to go, and leave for the rendezvous point to meet up with the others.

The first of the units warps to the staging area, located on the other side of the planet from Zionus' citadel. Once there, they begin to set up the equipment for the warp near the target.

On Rykros, Alis revives the others with a mass casting of Reverser, and blocks Sigma's incoming attack with a super-powered Saint Guard.

"Servant of that vile being...you shall pay for your crimes. Prepare for the end!" Alis yells, sending a vicious blast of energy at Sigma, who effortlessly dodges it.

**"You and what army, fool? You are a washed-up relic that needs to be thrown on the scrap heap. Die!"** Sigma fires off another Angelic Scream, following it with a flurry of alternating blasts from each hand, the searing lights striking the purple shield of energy Alis erects, nearly destroying it.

Behind Alis' shield, Sage and the others get to their feet. Lorna's eyes blaze with hatred as she stares at Sigma.

"You! You and your master have disgraced the Lady Alis, and for that you will die!" In an unusually serious manner, she raises both hands to chest level, the orb of blue light that appears spreading to cover her body. When the glow fades, she is dressed in a full-body suit of armor, the crystalline blue of enchanted ice held together by silvery Laconium. Her staff appears in her hand, a deadly-sharp blade of enchanted ice appearing on the tip. She points the spear at Sigma as she lowers her visor, stepping past the boundaries of Alis' barrier.

Sigma smiles as Lorna leaves the protection of Alis' barrier. **"Very well, girl. You shall be the first to die." **He raises his hand and fires a halo of white light that streaks toward Lorna. She takes a step back, an icy shield appearing on her left forearm as she blocks the attack. Sigma stares, stunned as his attack presses against the shield for a few moments. The halo turns blue as Lorna strains, and it is reflected back to Sigma, hitting him before he can move. The blast envelops him in a cloud of blue mist, freezing him solid.

Lorna turns to the awe-struck group and raises her visor, smiling. "I'll help Alis to hold him here. You four, get to Ragol!"

"Lorna..." Sage begins, reluctantly.

"Just go! I can't keep him immobile for long. I'll catch up, I promise." Lorna says, straining to hold Sigma imprisoned.

"But how...?" Liss asks.

"I have my ways, now **GO!**" Lorna yells, turning back to face Sigma.

"Alright...please be careful." Sage says to both Lorna and Alis, as Alis warps him and the others away. Cracks begin to appear around Sigma's icy prison as he struggles to free himself.

Sage, Liss, Yokote and Brom appear outside the Landale, and rush inside. Within minutes, they lift off of Rykros, the Rings safely in hand. They are well away by the time Sigma breaks free, Alis joining Lorna in keeping him trapped.

Sigma gazes around, disoriented from his few moments of imprisonment.

**"I will kill you for that, slowly."** he snarls, as he sees that Sage is gone.

"Right. I've heard that before." Lorna says, as Alis draws Elysedeon. "Lady Alis...let's show him that the leader of the Guardians is not to be trifled with!"

Alis smiles, raising her sword. "I thank you for your assistance. Now, let us go." The two charge at Sigma, attacking him viciously. He fights back furiously, but for every wound he inflicts on one of them, the other has it healed. Their battle rages as the Landale streaks towards Ragol.

"Sage...have you heard anything from Ragol or Pioneer 2 in a while?" Liss asks, as Yokote and Brom pilot the Landale away from Rykros' gravitational field.

"No, not in a while. I'm a little bit worried. I'll try to make contact now, I guess. There's not much else we do until we get there." Sage replies.

Rykros fades behind them rapidly as they clear the embrace of its gravity. Yokote keys in the warp coordinates, then motions to Brom to activate the drive. The stars outside shimmer, then fade to reveal a green energy field around the ship as it begins the warp to Ragol.

Sage unstraps his safety restraints and stands. "I'm going to go try and contact Nova on Pioneer 2. If we don't know what we're going into, we'll be at a major disadvantage."

"Alright. Want some help?" Liss asks. "I can help you boost the mental signal again, if you like."

"Sure." Sage walks to the galley area of the Landale, stopping in front of a counter-top. Liss follows, looking puzzled.

"Um, why here?" She asks, pulling up a chair.

"I'm starving. I used up a ton of energy trying to beat Alis." Sage answers, pulling out a package of instant noodles from the cabinet above him. He grabs a pot and places the noodles in them, filling it with water before heating it with a quick Foie. A few minutes later, he is seated on a counter-top, eating his noodles. Liss makes a cup of tea, then sits in her chair.

"Well, that's a new way to make them. Are you feeling better now?" She asks, as he finishes his meal.

"Yes, much better. You ready?" Sage says, calming his mind.

She answers him mentally, linking her mind with his. _"As ready as I'll ever be. Who are we trying to contact?"_

_"Nova. He's always really calm, and he has a bit of telepathy. Should be pretty easy."_

After a few moments, Sage and Liss finally make contact with Nova.

_"Nova! It's Sage." _

Inside a cavernous building complex built by Pioneer 1, Nova stands with the Dreamchasers, watching as the troops under their command bustle to make last-minute preparations. Nova jumps slightly, then smiles as the familiar voice enters his head.

_Sage! We thought you were dead. What's going on?_

_"No, I'm not dead. We have the Rings, and we're on our way back to Ragol. What's happening there? Is Zionus still kinda hanging back and gathering followers?"_

_No, not really. He's captured a large amount of people, and is planning on 'sacrificing' a lot of them. Lucca is among them. We're preparing to go rescue them now._

_"What! That's far too dangerous without the Rings. Zionus could annihilate all of you if he saw fit..."_

_We've discussed the risks, and decided the risk is worth it. Zionus gains power from followers. If the people of Pioneer 2 see that he is able to do this unopposed, he'll get much stronger. I suggest you hurry back. We're leaving in a short time to begin the assault._

_"Dammit. Don't die, or anything. Please be careful. We'll get there as soon as we can."_

_Relax Sage, we'll be fine. We're grabbing the prisoners and getting out, not directly attacking Zionus himself. Now, I've got to go. Try to get in touch again later if you can._

_"...Fine. Be careful, and don't directly attack Zionus."_

_See ya. _

Sage lets out a defeated sigh and breaks the link, leaning forward to put his head in his hands.

"They're actually attacking his citadel. It's suicide." Sage mumbles. He sits there for a few more moments, looking utterly dejected. _He's doing it again...blaming himself for something that's plainly out of his control._

Liss surprises him by getting up, walking over to him and wrapping her arms around him.

"You can't blame yourself for this. It's not your job to protect every single person. Like your friend said, they know what they are doing, and have discussed the risks. If they didn't think they could get in and get out safely, they wouldn't be doing it."

Sage sighs once again, then sits up, pulling away after a few more moments. "I suppose you're right. They are fully capable of understanding what he can do, and how dangerous this is. We'll just have to hurry."

"That's the spirit. You can worry all you want when you get there and are actually capable of having some effect on things...but until then, don't." Liss says, sitting back down.

"Yeah. We should probably try to find out what's happening with Lorna."

Lorna flies back, rebounding off the wall before she hits the floor painfully. Before she is able to stand, Alis has already cast a healing spell, restoring her strength as she gets to her feet. Alis catches a massive energy blast that she barely is able to block with Elsydeon, Sigma pouring a stream of devastating power at her. Alis' guard is broken, the torrent of searing light consuming her. As she slumps, Lorna begins chanting a powerful Resta, the green light shimmering around the guardian as new life floods into her. She uses Elsydeon as a prop to get to her feet as Sigma hovers, laughing haughtily.

**"Fools. Why do you continue to get up? You are no match for me. Give in to your own oblivion!"** Sigma yells, firing off an Angelic Scream at the two, who quickly dodge in opposite directions. The glare of the released energy blinds Sigma for a second as he searches for his targets. An ice-coated Laconium shield hits him in the face, followed seconds later by the blinding pain of a stab wound to the shoulder. Lorna's spear pierces his arm as he turns to block her attack, and as he grabs the spear to remove it he is pummeled by a series of powerful strikes from Alis.

The Guardian slashes away as Sigma grapples with Lorna, ending the series of vicious blows with a powerful rising uppercut that leaves a shimmering light trail behind it. Alis falls, slashing at him again as she hits the ground. Lorna knees him in the stomach before pulling her spear free, but is caught off guard by an eruption of energy released by Sigma, knocking both her and Alis away.

Panting, Alis and Lorna get to their feet, aided by leaning on their weapons. Sigma crosses his arms over his chest, curling up in the fetal position for a brief moment before being surrounded by an orb of white light. A loud whine of energy is heard before he releases the energy, his body glowing with a bright light as he manifests his true power. The shining wings on his back double in size, as a crackling aura of electricity appears around him. The shockwave bowls Alis and Lorna over, devastating the newly-repaired Guardian's Tower. Through the drifting wisps of smoke brought on by the destruction of the top floor of the tower, the dull purple of a Rykrosian dusk can be seen.

Sigma, glowing like a beacon in the rapidly dimming sky, beholds his opponents. **"That was a lucky shot. However...it will not happen again. Enjoy that one, as it shall be your last. You can't keep healing each other forev-argh!"** Sigma's diatribe is interrupted by a simultaneous attack from Alis and Lorna, Lorna conjuring an enormous chunk of solid ice that Alis propels towards Sigma on a beam of light, the makeshift ram knocking him backwards a good two hundred yards before he finally destroys it.

"You talk a good fight, but it is plainly obvious that you can't back it up to save your pathetic life. Stop playing around, and show us what you're really made of!" Lorna taunts, calling her shield to her side. Alis crosses her blades and stands ready as Sigma floats back towards them, the emanating waves of power that come off him stirring the dust of Rykros.

Sage makes brief contact with Lorna after a few moments. He interrupts the formulation of a battle plan.

_"Lady Alis, we have to wear him down. We can't defeat him at this point, but if we can endure his attacks for long enough, he should be greatly weakened."_

_"Yes. I shall blind him with a flash of light, then you move in. If you could freeze him again, he would waste a lot of power trying to break free."_

_"Ok, let's get ready-"_

_"Lorna, are you alright! It's Sage."_

_"I'm fine. Please just go on to Ragol. We have this under control...gah!"_ Lorna's telepathic communication is interrupted by Sigma sending a flurry of small energy blasts at her, the translucent white orbs impacting rapidly, creating a chain reaction that envelopes her in an explosion of white light. She slumps, her agony easily apparent to Sage. He feels her cast a healing technique, and is awed by the sheer strength of it.

_"Lorna..."_

_"Sage, I will be fine. Hurry to Ragol, and quit distracting me. We will meet up with you when we can. Goodbye!"_ Lorna cuts the link, forcing Sage out of her mind.

_"Now, Lady Alis. Let us continue with the original plan."_

_"Are you sure you will be able to endure? My spiritual form is a bit more resistant to damage than your own..."_

_"This armor is far tougher than it looks, and so am I. Now, let us go."_ Alis casts a super-powered Grants that explodes around Sigma's head, temporarily blinding him. Lorna teleports towards him, charging her spear with technique energy. Appearing above him, she descends rapidly, an icy blade forming around her weapon as it nearly doubles in size. She strikes, encasing Sigma in a solid block of ice as the blade shatters around him. Leaping away, she gives Alis the thumbs up, then sits back to recover energy as Sigma struggles to break free.

Seconds later, the ice is shattered with a resounding crack as Sigma looses his icy bonds with a blast of pure energy.

Dusk falls on the forest, a gentle breeze blowing strands of Kiara's blonde hair into her eyes. She brushes them away absent-mindedly, waiting for the signal. Kiara clings to the side of the wall easily, her heart pounding with nervousness and excitement. Her ears twitch slightly as she sees the rising dome of flame ignite a guard-house near the entrance. At Axios' signal, the magnetic climbing gloves are swiftly removed as she bounds over the lip of the wall in a single leap. One sentry unlucky enough to see her is felled with a single kick to the temple, his mind-controlled expression not changing as he falls unconscious. Two more sentries walk up, their alert faces revealing a willing submission to Zionus' rule.

Kiara draws her Kamuis, casting a quick Foie at the lead guard's face. The twin blades are buried in his torso for a brief moment as she rushes him, and before his companion can do more than raise his Visk, she is upon him. She slashes through the rifle with vertically opposite cuts from each blade as she moves towards him, turning to bury one blade in his gut. She spins around and with a quick slash eliminates all possibility of calling for help. Before his still body hits the ground, she has made it to the main control for the outer gate. She triggers it, then destroys the control mechanism with a rapid Gizonde.

As the gate opens, Nova takes his cue. He and the snipers under his command open fire from the trees, cutting down the first wave of guards as they run to the gate to investigate. Meanwhile, Nyreal's group surmounts the wall from the opposite side, easily cutting off the guards as they run to the administrative building nearby. They overtake the communications officer inside with a ruthless efficiency, then disable the equipment._Odd...they aren't equipped with radios. I suppose Zionus thinks he can monitor them all himself._ Nyreal thinks, as his troops meet up with Axios' advancing unit. Combined, the two forces move towards the inner gate, more heavily fortified than the outer.

The inner wall is a large white dome, studded with the barrels of embedded photon cannons. It bears a resemblance to the old Central Dome, yet the cannons give it a look of malice the old structure never had.

The invasion force advances, striding confidently past the supposedly deactivated guns. Lab's viral magic had apparently worked yet again. When the soldiers are nearly at the minimum range, a commander inside the fort receives the confirmation that the viral infection of the gun controls had been purged. He hits the master switch, the fort defenses springing into deadly life.

The large automated turret guns open up, spewing orbs of glowing photon death at the advancing Resistance troops. One soldier is caught by an orb as the ground explodes underneath him, the shot striking directly in front of him. _Damn! The disabling of the turrets didn't work. We have a problem..._ Nyreal thinks, dodging out of the way of a photon shot that kills two of his men. _I guess they found the virus in the targetting program after all..._

At the site of their comrades falling to the heavy turrets, Nova initiates the backup plan. Withdrawing a Tempest Rifle from a capsule at his belt, he inches forward, placing himself just out of range of the turret's fire. Lining up the turret in his sights, he fires, the electrified shot wreaking havoc on the automated gun. Several more shots leave the photon cannon spewing sparks, overloaded by the high voltage.

The Forces in the groups dodge to the sides, spamming Gizonde at the turrets as fast as they can. Though a few more troops fall, the barrage of lightning temporarily disables the turrets. Nyreal's strike group rushes forward, planting their demolition charges, then rushing away.

As the turrets spring back to life, Nyreal's group detonates their charges, the carefully-placed explosives blowing a massive hole in the inner wall. One turret on a far corner is the only one left firing, but a careful shot from one the Resistance's few NUGs quickly reduces it to scrap. The advance force pours inside the gaping hole in the wall, the main force beginning to flood inside the outer wall, led by Labyrinth. As the advance force makes their way past the mangled debris, they enter a large, cavernous room only to find a mass assembly of former Pioneer 2 army troops, all mind-controlled by Zionus. At their head stands Eriror, flanked by Shard and Kimiko.

"You who oppose the master...prepare to die!"

Nyreal shouts a challenge as he draws his sword, a smile on his face. Kiara nods, taking a battle stance. Nova and his snipers quickly approach, switching to closer-ranged shots and Spread Needles as they bring up the rear. The leaders of the two armies glare at each other for a moment before giving the order to attack. A swirling melee of clashing bodies begins, punctuated only by the sound of weapon impacts and the screams of the injured Resistance troops. The mind-controlled soldiers under Zionus make no sound as they are cut down.

The blank-faced man staggers forward, raising his Dragon Slayer. His white uniform turns red as he is stabbed through the chest by the yellow blade of a Durandal, yet the normally mortal wound doesn't stop his relentless advance. The Resistance soldier that stabbed him stumbles backwards, losing her grip on her blade. She falls as the mind-controlled trooper looms above her, a blank look on his face as he readies a killing blow. A Varista shot hits the man in the shoulder, not even making him flinch, as one of her comrades attempts to help her.

The Varista wielder is cut down seconds later by a slash to the throat from a Gae Bolg. He falls, the gun leaving his limp hand. The trooper that killed him shambles over to assist in finishing off the hapless Resistance trooper. As the two weapons descend, she rolls out of the way, stabbing a Bloody Art into the spear-wielder's side. The stab wound does little more than annoy him as he bats her away with the staff part of his weapon. A look of fear comes over her face as she realizes she's out of options.

Nyreal dodges a vicious stab from a Last Survivor, spinning out of the way as his blade makes a ruin of the attacker's legs. The fallen Zionus trooper is finished off with a quick downward stab through the chest. Looking over, Nyreal sees one of the soldiers in his unit about to be killed by two of Zionus' troops. He channels technique energy as he extends one hand, releasing a volley of four Foies that turn one of the attackers to cinders in an instant. The man with the Dragon Slayer looks towards him as he charges, but is unable to bring his ponderous weapon up in time to stop the slash that decapitates him.

"Are you alright?" Nyreal asks, bending down to retrieve the Durandal the soldier dropped.

"Yes, thank you commander." The soldier says, taking her weapon from Nyreal's hand. "These soldiers...they fight like they are possessed."

Blocking a slash from an approaching enemy, Nyreal guts the man with a single stroke. "It's Zionus' influence. Luckily...their reflexes are a little slow. They can take a lot of punishment, but their skills aren't that great."

The soldier nods, running off to help a group of her comrades as they battle three of Zionus' troopers. Nyreal turns, hearing screams of pain. Eriror is engaged with a crowd of Resistance soldiers, currently ripping them apart. Nyreal sighs, then unleashes a volley of Barta waves that Eriror easily avoids. Eriror springs towards him, rasing his Zanba in a mighty slash. Nyreal dodges out of the way as both men cast their respective Jellens. Eriror's is cancelled out by Nyreal's subsequent casting of Shifta, the techniques doing a small bit to equalize the massive difference in strength between them.

"Why are you following that madman? You seem like a somewhat intelligent guy, despite your overcompensating with a gigantic sword." Nyreal quips, dodging a lightning-fast blow from Eriror's Zanba. He is slammed back by a circling ring of Gifoie that Eriror casts, the ring of fireballs singing his robes.

"You besmirch the name of the master. You shall pay with your life!" Eriror yells, redoubling his efforts. He batters Nyreal's guard away with a powerful slash, then shoulder-tackles him into the ground. He readies his Cross Reaper attack, placing the flat of the massive blade over his left shoulder. A volley of Yasminkov fire rings out, throwing off his stance as Nova targets him.

The Ramar strides forward, blasting away at Eriror, who amazingly manages to block most of the bullets. One catches him in the shoulder, but does not penetrate his armor. Nyreal scrambles to his feet, the blue and red glow of Shifta and Deband emanating to Nova as he casts the support techniques. Nova reloads swiftly as Nyreal and Eriror glare at each other.

"Eriror...why are you doing this?" Nova asks. Eriror says nothing, simply using his life energy to charge the Zanba with incredible force. He casts a Rabarta technique that floors Nyreal, then rushes at Nova. Nova's rapid-fire stream of bullets manages to push him back, but the Aura Field Eriror wears is proof against most of the hits. Nova aims carefully for a small opening, but when he pulls the trigger, nothing happens.

_Dammit, a jam! Not now..._ Nova thinks. He backs away, but has to narrowly duck out of the way of a slash from one of Eriror's troops. Backpedaling as he tries to clear the jam in his gun, he is caught by surprise as Eriror charges him. A dark blue streak passes in front of him as he sees the Zanba raised to strike. A bright flash of light emanates off the two crossed blades as Nyreal intercepts Eriror, straining to hold him back.

Axios gives the troops under his command their signal, and massive waves of Gifoie emanate from their bodies to slam into the charging line of Zionus' troopers. Axios himself releases a few more waves of Gifoie, beginning to spin his Rokujou Twin as he gathers the flame to it. Leaping into the air, he unleashes a massive beam of heat energy from his weapon that devastates the line of soldiers. Turning to give the next order, he is nearly beheaded by the purple flash of Shard's weapon.

"The master requires your death. My apologies." Shard says, as she begins an relentless attack. The two double-bladed sabers begin an intricate dance of parry and riposte as the two square off, Axios' support techniques allowing him to momentarily hold his own against the faster, stronger android. His troops are encircled by a wing of Zionus' army, but he is unable to help as Shard presses her attack. He hears the dying screams of his soldiers begin as the Dragon-Slayer wielding troops begin to scythe through them like grain.

Kiara backflips out of the way of a vicious slash, then repays the soldier by stabbing him through the chest. As she moves to her next target, an Ano Rifle bolt catches her in the shoulder, the impact of the energy blast sending her tumbling to the side. She turns the fall into an awkward shoulder roll, slowly getting to her feet. About a hundred yards away, Kimiko readies another shot. Kiara smiles grimly, repairing the damage to her shoulder with a Resta as she watches the android sniper for her next move.

One of the communication officers assigned to the advance force makes contact with Labyrinth. "Sir...they are putting up a more fierce struggle than we anticipated. But it appears that the majority of the force is contained in this area, as per your predictions."

Labyrinth gazes at the gaping hole in the Citadel's walls, then responds through his internal communicator. "Very well. We will initiate our secondary plan. Tell the commanders to begin falling back once we have infiltrated the second ring of defenses." At Labyrinth's orders, his troops ready the demolition charges. Bypassing the inner room where the main battle rages, they blow a hole directly in the wall of the Citadel. The main force streams through this opening, heading for the room where the prisoners are located.

The Resistance soldiers cheer as the wall at the back of the large room they are in implodes in a cloud of dust and rubble, blocking the significant amount of Zionus' troops located in the room from backtracking deeper into the fortress. _Good, we've managed to delay them. Now we just have to get out of here alive..._ Axios thinks, as he blocks another flurry of blows from Shard.

Labyrinth's group charges into the fortress, cutting down the minimal resistance they face easily. "We must be cautious. The advance force states that they have most of the troops they encountered tied up in the anteroom behind us, but they troop strength there is less than what we anticipated. It seems Zionus has held back more of his troopers to defend the inner sanctum."

Neifirst stabs an approaching trooper through the chest with one end of her Meteor Cudgel, then turns to Labyrinth. "Good, so there are more of them. I thought this would be boring..."

The main force dashes through the halls of the fortress, at last coming to a large throne room. A crowd of about 500 ragged, battered civilians are pinned inside a photon barrier at the center of the room. An elaborate altar is set up between the ornate throne at one end and the photon cage in the center. Lucca is strapped to it, unmoving. As the Resistance's main force enters the room, an enormous amount of Zionus' troops appears from a hidden passage behind them, with more streaming out from doorways in the sides.

X draws his katanas, looking around to approximate the odds. "Nei...why do you always have to tempt fate?" The Resistance soldiers fan out, readying their weapons.

"Be careful, everyone. This amount of hostiles is far more than we anticipated. Liberating the prisoners is all we are here for. Do not get carried away." Labyrinth says, obliterating a small group of Zionus' soldiers with a blast from his NUG. Zionus' soldiers charge forward, meeting a line of Resistance weapons.

Sigma rises from one knee, trails of steam coming off of him as the ice shards that once constituted his prison melt and fade away. He sets his face in a grim line, then bows his head and brings both hands up near his face. His hands grasp at what seems to be thin air for a second, clutching spasmodically before clenching into tight fists. He begins to shudder slightly as a pool of radiant white light appears below his body. His arms cross as he crouches down, a high pitched whining sound beginning to grow in intensity as waves of energy flicker up from the pool below him, washing over him in a tide of pure light. He concentrates, an orb of solid power appearing around his body, flaring like a newly-born star.

The ground begins to shake, nearly knocking Lorna and Alis over as the high-pitched whine of energy grows louder and louder, the increases in intensity growing at the same rate as the brightness radiating off of Sigma's body. They cup their hands over their ears and shut their eyes, the sensory overload proving to be agonizing even for Alis. At last, the shaking stops as the sound drops sharply in pitch, followed seconds later by a deep booming roar that is more felt that heard. Alis forces her eyes open, unable to even look at the spot where Sigma stands. She cringes as the loud roar of an explosion echoes over the plains of Ragol. A circular blast wave rushes outward from Sigma's body as his full power is unleashed, bowling his two opponents over and battering them near-senseless.

When the cacophony of sensory turmoil ends, he is hovering above the plains, his entire body emitting a fearsome glow. His wings have increased in size, the tips of the feathered pinions burning faint holes in the ground even as he floats a body-length above the surface of Rykros. The light fades slightly, dimming down to a sustained aura that pulses around him. He smiles, then reaches out his left hand as an orb of white light appears in his palm. The orb grows in size, then transforms instantly into a beam of white light as he flicks his wrist downward.

He holds the beam of light out from his body for a second, grasping it at its midpoint with it perpendicular to his body. His right hand moves upwards, grasping the beam of light about a quarter of the way down its length. He pulls slightly, the beam of light seeming to elongate for a second as the slight curve of a sword can be seen emerging from the beam of light. His hands move further apart as the beam of light seems to be drawn into a sword. With a flash of released energy, he snaps his wrists to either side, separating the blade and its sheath with a further flash of light. He releases his clenched left fist, the few remnants of the orb vanishing into sparks of light, escaping like living things to fade away in the Rykrosian dusk.

Sigma grasps the blade with both hands, posing in an overly dramatic manner for a few moments before letting the blade drop to his left side in a low stance. He leans forward, the aura intensifying as he speaks.

**"Face my Tenretsujin, mortals...and fear Heaven's Falling Blade!"** Sigma yells, focusing power into the blade. He swoops forward, rising into a powerful uppercut as light swirls around the blade, the light growing into a torrent that accompanies him, an orb of energy growing at the end of the sword as he rises into the air. He spins around slowly, almost gracefully building up power as he rotates around fully, then slams the sword into the ground with a powerful overhead slash.

A scream of tortured air is heard as a massive shockwave streaks towards where Lorna and Alis are standing. Before they can move away, it impacts the shields they hastily throw up, embroiling them in a pillar of white light that juggles them around unmercifully for a few seconds before dropping them to the ground, bruised and battered. Sigma grins evilly as their healing spells restore their ability to move, and rushes at Alis, batting her into the air with the tip of Tenretsujin before assailing her with a long series of powerful slashes. The impact of the blade sends off waves of released force as it crashes into her again and again, pummeling her unmercifully. He finishes with a furious two-handed overhand smash that sends her flying to the ground, the impact of her now still body making a massive crater.

Lorna rushes over, chanting a healing spell, but is blown backwards by an orb of light that erupts at her feet. As she struggles to get up, Sigma launches her into the air with a flaming slash that leaves her enveloped in a pillar of flame. She writhes in pain, but before she can recover she is hit by a powerful lightning-charged stab while still in mid-air. As she begins to fall, Sigma speeds her descent by creating a vortex of cold air, then stabbing his sword through the center of it as ice shards cling to the blade. She hits the ground with a thud, moaning softly in pain as Sigma hovers beside her.

_Ow...that's the most powerful hit he's ever used. I'm lucky this armor is strengthened by cold._ Lorna thinks as she rolls onto her stomach and slowly staggers her way upright with the aid of her spear. A quick glance over her shoulder reveals Alis still in the center of the crater, unmoving. Sigma smirks, then brings his blade back to a ready position.

**"Just give up and die already. You are no match for me, woman..."**

Lorna smiles sweetly, slowly standing under her own power as her healing spell takes effect.

"Sorry...can't really do that. You see, you have these impressive attacks that are obviously supposed to awe and wow everyone...but they're all just window-dressing. Overcompensation. You can't back up what you say. You lack the stamina to finish what you start. I now see why you need to carry around that enormous sword. You aren't enough of a man to do anything without it." With this taunt, Lorna grasps her spear with both hands and spins it around her head a few times before ending with the tip pointing at Sigma.

Staring at his livid face, she laughs. "Well, let's get this over with so I can be horribly underwhelmed. It's a shame really. You look like you had a lot of potential. Too bad your ego cancels it out. That, and the horrid dye job." Sigma releases a growl of unsurpressed rage and charges her as a small smile plays on her face.

_I have to keep him distracted for a bit longer..._

X descends from his leap, the icy lance of a Hyouretsuzan tearing through two of his opponents. As he lands, he leg sweeps one of the three troopers coming up behind him, then unleashes a rapid-fire series of alternating slashes from his katanas that drive the other two back. The soldiers backpedal to avoid the shining circles of steel, but are cut down by a ring of fireballs launched from Keiko's sword. The catgirl grins, then dashes away to attack another group of soldiers.

The Resistance and X's group slowly clear a path towards the photon cage of prisoners. Neifirst smashes a control panel with her Meteor Cudgel, and the photon ring dissipates. Leah fights her way over to Neifirst, and the two newmen push back a nearby crowd of Zionus' soldiers. JiEin raises his new weapon and charges at one soldier that is taking aim at a prisoner, the photon-enhanced metal blade easily cleaving the man in half. He continues onward to cut down five more troopers, easily decimating the line of soldiers near the prisoners. Ringed by JiEin on one side, Leah and Neifirst on another and X and Keiko on a third, the prisoners begin to make their way to safety.

At Labyrinth's signal, Cranberry, Striker and Black Raiden appear from the hole that had been previously blasted in the wall, fighting their way through the crowd to reach the prisoners. Cranberry unleashes Jellen and Zalure as they head towards the center of the room, greatly weakening the soldiers that stand in their way. The attacks of Black Raiden and Striker finish off the weakened troops. Cran casts Shifta and Deband on both X's group and the prisoners, then her group and the Resistance troops that accompany them begin to make their way to safety, the prisoners cocooned between walls of armored bodies.

One overeager soldier attempts to impale Cran with a Flowen's Sword replica as she guides the prisoners out. The newman sidesteps, melts his weapon with a massive Foie, then bashes him in the face with the spinning blades of her Windmill. The man falls, unmoving. As Cran's group leads the dazed, weakened prisoners out, Labyrinth and a strike force under his command make their way towards the altar in a corner of the room. Two Resistance medics dash forward to free Lucca as Labyrinth and his squad members cover them. The free her bonds, but even after a Moon Atomizer and a Trimate she still lies unmoving, breathing but apparently catatonic.

Cran radios Labyrinth as her massive group makes it outside. "Lab, we've managed to get out with the prisoners safely. Transporting them to the base now. You're following us, right?"

"Yes, as soon as..." static fills the radio, as a large dome of transparent energy surrounds the entire citadel. A few more attempts at communication fail as well, and even a shot from Striker's Baranz Launcher falls short of breaking through the new barrier.

"They're trapped inside..." Raiden says, gazing at the Citadel.

A scruffy, bedraggled man in a government uniform speaks up. "We were bait...you should have just left us to die."

"No. We couldn't just leave you there in that madman's clutches. We're going to take you to safety, then we're coming back for them." Cranberry says, a look of stony resolve on her face. At her impassive gaze, the man's protest dies on his lips. The group makes their way to the transportation site and warps to the Resistance's hidden base on Ragol.

Alis hears whispers in her mind as she lies still, the sounds of battle seemingly far off. The clang of metal and the cries of Lorna and Sigma as they fight seem to fade away as the spirit Guardians assigned to serve her make contact.

_"My lady...we shall aid you in defeating this imposter."_

Before Alis can reply, the ghostly visages of twelve spectral beings appear around her, shielded from Sigma's view by the blast crater she made as she was pounded into the ground.

_"Lorna, how are you holding up?"_ Alis asks, as the spirits of the Guardians lend their power to Elsydeon, the blade beginning to shimmer with a faint glow as each Guardian's strength is added.

Lorna blocks a two-handed swing from Sigma, getting briefly knocked off her feet by the force of the blow. She conjures a wall of solid ice that holds Sigma back for a few seconds, using that time to Resta herself and reply to Alis.

_"I'm fine for now. How is that plan of yours coming along? He seems to be tiring slightly, but he's getting more and more angry. Your idea about draining him also draining Zionus seems to make sense, but I'm going to have to end this fairly soon. I'm not quite sure how much longer I want to keep playing around..."_ Lorna replies, cutting the mind link as Sigma smashes through the ice shield. A few rapid blows are exchanged, ending with Lorna and Sigma's weapons pressed together, each straining to get an advantage over the other. Sigma flares with power and shoves Lorna away, knocking her off balance before kicking her hard in the stomach. As she doubles over, he fires an Angelic Scream at near point-blank range, the impact of the white halo knocking her a good ten feet away.

His follow-up attack is suddenly intercepted by a powerful blast of sinuous purple energy that stops his forward movement. He whirls around, just in time to catch the shining blade of Elsydeon in his side. Recoiling in real pain for the first time, he is battered by a furious series of blows from Alis, fury shining in her eyes as she presses her attack. One final blow from the glowing form of Elysdeon knocks Sigma away, and the two glare at each other, caught in a stalemate as Lorna gets to her feet. The newman stretches, then brandishes her spear.

**"Die, you insolent fools!"** Sigma yells, rushing at the two. They dodge to opposite sides, narrowly avoiding his preliminary Angelic Scream. The white halo of energy explodes harmlessly between them as they scatter. Lorna stabs her spear into the ground hilt first, pivoting on it to deliver a two-footed kick to Sigma's face as he slashes at Alis. Her momentum carries her around the weapon in a complete 360, enabling her to narrowly block Sigma's counterstrike. Alis's leaping slash is enchanted by a magic spell from Lorna, the blade of Elysdeon becoming encased in a coating of ice that nearly doubles its size. Sigma, his attention still focused on Lorna, is hit across the back with the enhanced Elysdeon, the icy shell shattering into a million razor-sharp shards as he is knocked to the ground.

He floats back up immediately, clearing the needling pieces of ice from his body with a wave of light. Blood drips from a few minor wounds as he glares at the two, hatred in his eyes. **"Your continuing annoyance ends here. I shall wipe you from existence!"** With this boast, he rises into the air, his sword dissipating into a few sparkles of light. He brings his hands together, a large globe of energy forming between them.

Lorna hurls an icy projectile at him, but the shard of ice simply hits an invisible barrier a few inches in front of his face, dissipating harmlessly. Alis' attacks fare no better. Sigma continues charging energy, the orb of light growing larger and larger, a demonic leer coming over his face.

Alis stares at the attack as it begins to form into a large ring. "Oh dear...he's using one of the demon's moves, I think. The blast radius on this will be enormous. We need to stop him, now!" She says, starting towards Sigma. She is stopped by Lorna placing a hand on her arm.

"No...wait. I have an idea." Lorna says, as Sigma continues to gather energy.

X slashes through two guards, fighting to get to Keiko as she's knocked down. He is beaten to the punch by JiEin, who swats the catgirl's attackers out of the way with a few powerful swings. As he flattens the last of them, Kiara springs to her feet and stabs one coming up behind JiEin.

"Are you alright?" Ji asks, clearing the area around him with several powerful attacks.

"Yeah, this is fun. Too bad more people are joining the party..." Kiara remarks, pointing to the flood of soldiers that is now pouring through the doors.

Nei impales a soldier on her Meteor Cudgel, then throws him into a pile of his comrades. Brandishing the staff, she spins around, taking out several more soldiers. "We have to try and break free. Not that I mind beating up these damnable humans, but...it's getting annoying."

Leah annihilates three guards with a combination of a Gibarta tech and several slashes, fighting to get closer to X. The two stand with their backs to each other as still more of Zionus' troops pour into the room. More Resistance soldiers fall as the weight of the odds simply begins to overwhelm them. Even X's group doesn't remain unscathed, each beginning to show signs of wear and tear as the soldiers flood through. Leah takes a Visk shot to the leg, and falls down, her injured leg unable to support her weight. Though the physical damage is easily repaired with Resta, the numbing effect of the paralysis lasts even through several castings of Anti. The others form a loose ring around her as she tries to stand.

X, seeing how desperate the odds have become, glances over at the portion of the white dome that separates them from freedom. Labyrinth, the small strike force under his command and Lucca are cordoned inside a smaller energy dome, unable to escape but not being attacked either. Labyrinth blasts the dome several times with shots from his NUG, with no effect. JiEin crouches down slightly, receiving a radio transmission from Labyrinth.

"Labyrinth says that if we can find a way to break free, we should take it, and not to worry about him." He says, standing and getting back into a battle position. A group of Zionus' soldiers begin to slowly close in, forming a loose ring around the group.

"Well...that's wonderful. But we don't really have a way to break free, JiJi." Neifirst says, bashing a soldier in the face as he tries to slash her with a Vjaya.

"Ah, don't worry, Nei. You can get back to making special friends in no time. I've got this covered." X says, sheathing his katanas. Black lightning begins to crackle around him as he releases the power of his conduit, a small shockwave pushing back the encroaching ring of soldiers. A single black wing shoots from his back as he rises above the ring of his friends.

He charges energy in one hand, a Demon Roar blowing apart the first line of soldiers he sees. He cuts down several more groups of soldiers as he flies towards the barrier that surrounds Labyrinth. A black halo of energy appears in front of him as he charges a two-handed Demon Roar. The technique is fired a split-second later, the powerful blast harmlessly splashing off the barrier. His three further attempts have the same effect. Giving up, he whirls about, the spiraling black beam of a Shinkuu-Majinken tearing through several soldiers. Swooping downward, he sees Nei surrounded by a black aura.

"Nei?"

"Yeah, I learned this trick a little while ago." Releasing the power of her conduit, she is surrounded by a wavery shield of dark flame. Her Meteor Cudgel lights ablaze as she leaps into the crowd of soldiers, cutting down all in her way. X hovers, firing off Demon Roars. With the two of them running interference, the crowd of soldiers begins to slowly thin. Keiko guards Leah as the injured newman tries to stand.

JiEin smites an over-eager soldier that leaps at him with a Kaladbolg, then plants his sword into the metal flooring and braces himself, aiming his Heat Blazer at a large group of soldiers standing near the barrier. He fires, the blast vaporizing many of them, but having no effect on the barrier. He falls to one knee, steam coming off of his joints. X and Nei slump to the ground as well, the combined force of their powerful attacks having greatly thinned the opposition. Suddenly, a loud crack of energy is heard as a glowing white being appears, warping into the room. The dome-shaped barrier around Labyrinth and the others disappears in a flash, to be replaced by an opaque white wall that separates the two halves of the room, X's group on one side, Labyrinth's on the other.

**"Now that you're all here...the path to my dominance is secured. View the might of my Seraphs, and face your oblivion!"** Zionus says, gesturing as five misshapen creatures, vaguely resembling shining white Delsabers, are warped into X's half of the room. The creatures shriek with rage, and immediately launch an assault, cutting down hordes of Resistance troopers. X, JiEin and Neifirst struggle to their feet, as Leah is finally able to get enough feeling back in her leg to be able to move.

Smiling at his plan, Zionus turns to Labyrinth, who is leveling his NUG at him. With a wave of his hand, Zionus obliterates the units that were hastily setting up their shield generators, then turns his killing beams of light on the strike force that accompanied Labyrinth. They are destroyed in an instant, most not even having time to cry out. After a few horrible moments, only Labyrinth, the unconscious Lucca and Zionus are left on their side of the barrier.

Nyreal barely manages to push Eriror back by sending a Zonde charge through his blade, the shock forcing the mind-controlled hunter away. Eriror casts a quick Resta to repair the damage, then rushes at Nyreal like a steamroller. Loud crashes can be heard as Nyreal parries Eriror's vicious Zanba attacks, fighting a mostly defensive battle. Every strike Nyreal tries to make is deflected by Eriror with surprising agility, his Zanba moving with incredible speed. The two rush at each other for one final attack, Nyreal swinging in a low arc at Eriror's side. Eriror deflects the blow, increasing the power of his attack by sacrificing his own life force, before bringing the Zanba down in a staggering vertical counterattack that shatters Nyreal's sword before plowing into him, knocking him to the ground senseless. Even with the impact decreased by Jellen and Deband, the powerful strike opens a large wound on Nyreal's torso. Nyreal lays on his back, nearly knocked uncsoncious as Eriror towers above him.

Kiara narrowly evades an Ano Rifle shot aimed at her head, the bolt of energy singing her hair as it flies by. She struggles to get within technique range of Kimiko, but every move she makes is countered with an unerringly accurate shot. The wounds have been minor so far, but each shot is slowly weakening her. She feints to her right, then dashes to the left, but is hit in the knee by an Ano Rifle shot before she makes it more than a few paces.

Eriror reverses his grip on the Zanba, preparing to stab Nyreal. His aim is thrown off by a Flight Cutter blade that hits him in the head, opening a slight gash along his scalp that sends a trickle of blood down his face. He roars in rage, turning to Nova with a look of pure hatred in his eyes.

Kiara sprawls to the ground in an untidy heap, crying out as she is unable to sustain her weight. She hits with a loud thud as she casts Resta, the healing spell stopping the bleeding, but doing little to heal the tissue damage underneath. She reaches for her belt to withdraw an item capsule, but stops as the targetting beam of the Ano Rifle hovers over her heart. Kimiko laughs as she watches Kiara slowly raise her hands.

"You will pay with your life!" Eriror says, charging at the shuriken-wielding Ramar. He pours his own life force into his weapon, his hands taking on an eerie maroon glow as he raises his blade high in the air for a killing strike. Nova stands, the Flight Cutter gripped loosely in his right hand.

Axios blocks a furious attack from Shard, catching the android in the shoulder with a bolt of Zonde. As she staggers back, he charges his Rokujou with technique energy and goes on the offensive. The golden blade meets Shard's purple one with a spray of sparks, his tech-enhanced attacks beginning to slowly push her back. He brings his weapon around in a flat horizontal arc, slashing at her head. Shard leaps back with suprising agility, launching three traps into the air. The flash of light from the traps temporarily blinds Axios as she backpedals, and he doesn't notice the small trap that floats near his ankles.

"It's been fun, but I'd like to kill you so I can get on with killing more deserving targets." Kimiko says, walking closer to Kiara as she keeps her aim steady.

At the last possible instant, Nova steps slightly to the side, delivering a swift kick to Eriror's lead leg. As the hunter goes off-balance, Nova catches the Zanba with both hands, grabbing the blunt end with his free hand as he pins the sharp edge with the blades of his Flight Cutter. Using Eriror's momentum, he hurls the hunter forwards in a martial-arts throw. As Eriror slams into the ground with enough force to dent the metal floor, Nova whips several Flight Cutter blades at him, the life-draining energy they give off severely weakening him. Eriror slowly starts to get up, but stops as the harsh barrel of a Yasminkov 7000V pokes him in the spine.

Axios blocks an attack from Shard, the two twin-sabers locked together as each strains for supremacy. Shard's natural strength soon wins, out, and Axios is forced back, his left foot triggering the freeze trap Shard had set. Instantly, his body is trapped in an icy prison, and his Rokujou Twin is taken from his limp hands as he glares at Shard. The Hucaseal places her blade at his throat, readying for a final attack.

"Do you have any last requests before I terminate you, sir?" Shard asks, as Axios simply glares.

"Don't move, Eriror. I really don't want to have to kill you." Nova says.

"Grr...how did you?" Eriror says, straining to get off the floor.

"You're too predictable. The Cross Reaper is a devastating attack, but I've seen it too many times before."

Nyreal sits up uneasily, healing the gaping wound in his torso with a Resta. He looks around, seeing Kiara pinned by Kimiko, Axios imprisoned by Shard's freeze trap, and Nova standing over Eriror.

Sigma finishes charging his attack, the massive orb of light becoming roughly ten times his size. It slowly forms into a ring,wisps of power drawn to it as it becomes larger and larger. He grins evilly, then braces himself to fire.

**"Cry of the Seraphim!"** he yells as he launches the massive ring of white light at his two opponents, the rapid flickering of the attack creating a strobe-like effect in the dusky skies of Rykros.

Alis and Lorna stand for a second, then spring into action as the halo draws closer. Alis brings up Elsydeon, and using the power the spirit guardians at her command had lent her, she erects a purple barrier around herself and Lorna, the Saint Guard enveloping them in a dome of energy. Lorna retracts her staff, then places both hands onto the Saint Guard as the attack makes contact. A loud whine of energy is heard as Alis strains to maintain the shield. She cries out, bracing herself as Lorna begins to absorb the raw divine energy of Sigma's attack, filtering its destructive power through the Saint Guard. The halo of energy seems to buckle as Alis holds the barrier, sparks of light shooting off of it.

Sigma strains, having poured a large portion of his energy into that attack. He presses with all his might, struggling to break through the barrier. Lorna's body begins to glow with white light as she absorbs more and more of the destructive energy of the attack, the halo shrinking rapidly. As Alis' strength wanes, she falls to her knees, still clutching Elsydeon. The glow around Lorna's body grows brighter and brighter, its increase tied to the rapid depletion of Sigma's attack. With one last cry, Alis falls to the ground, completely spent. The Saint Guard fades, and Lorna confronts the full force of Sigma's attack. Bracing herself, she absorbs the last of its energy, the halo vanishing in a bright flash of light. She stands with her head down for a few moments, then looks up, glowing with energy.

She casts Resta on Alis and herself, then weaves her hands in a complicated motion, causing green sparkles of light to appear above herself and Alis. "Ataraxia" she chants, as the sparkles settle onto the two, restoring their technique energy.

Alis looks at Sigma, who is floating with a shocked look on his face. Lorna smiles sweetly, then nods at Alis.

"You aren't as tough as you think, you know...now, it's our turn." Lorna says, a deadly calm in her voice. Sigma simply glares, then steadies himself and draws his Tenretsujin. As he flies rapidly towards Lorna and Alis, he is stopped by an arcane yellow barrier that appears around him, impeding his movement. The yellow circle underneath the barrier is inscribed with faintly shining runes. He hits the energy wall around him, unable to break it.

A similar, yet much larger circle has appeared around Lorna and Alis, as each have begun chanting. The chanting rises in volume and intensity, as the minutes pass, the arcane seals around both growing brighter and brighter. Sigma's struggles to break the barrier grow more and more frantic. _What is this foul sorcery?"_ he thinks, struggling to break free. At last, the glare is nearly too much for Sigma to see through, and the chanting is punctuated by one harshly screamed word that flows from both Alis and Lorna in a voice as ancient as the planet Rykros itself.

The last thing Sigma hears before he is consumed in a maelstrom of pure energy is three sharp syllables.

**"Megido!"**

Labyrinth stand motionless as Zionus begins to gloat. **"Fool. You thought to foil my divine plan...the price for your insolence shall be death. But first...you must be punished."** With a wave of his hand, Zionus seems to beckon to Lucca, whose body is consumed with a white light. She rises slowly, her movements stiff and erratic, as if being controlled by a puppeteer. She reaches for a gun holstered at her waist, withdrawing a Ruby Bullet and leveling it at Labyrinth's head.

"Lucca, what are you doing?" Labyrinth asks, lowering his NUG. "Fight against him, you must!"

Lucca's only answer is a pull of the trigger.

A Resistance soldiers drops his weapon and runs screaming as the Seraph lopes towards him. He'd seen his comrades cut down in seconds, photonic weapons seeming to bounce harmlessly off the glowing creature's armored skin. As he flees, the Seraph withdraws its blade from his former commander, screeching as a green glow is drawn into the blade from the fallen man's body. It turns its head towards the rapidly retreating soldier, and in one leap is upon him, raising its blade to strike. The photon saber extending from the creature's right hand is intercepted by a flying wall of steel as JiEin leaps between the Seraph and its target, bashing it across the torso with his sword.

The photon edged metal blade hits with a tremendous amount of force, yet cannot knock the creature back more than a few inches. JiEin's follow-up attacks do little to phase the Seraph, and his combo is answered with a hard bash to the head from the green photonic shield on the Seraph's left arm, knocking him reeling. As he stumbles, the creature pounces, stabbing the photon blade through his shoulder effortlessly, narrowly missing his chest. The weight of the creature shoves the struggling android to the floor, forcing him to release his grip on his sword as he fights to get the thing off of him.

X crushes a Trifluid capsule, the restorative easing the dull ache at the back of his head. He sneaks a quick glance at Labyrinth and Lucca, only to see Lucca shoot Labyrinth in the head with a Ruby Bullet. He is unable to spare a second look, as the sound of ripping metal snaps him back to attention. He charges a Demon Roar, the wisps of energy coming a bit slower to his out-stretched arm.

Taking careful aim, he fires at the Seraph that is mangling JiEin, the concentrated burst of dark power having a far greater effect than he expected. The creature lets out a loud cry, dodging away from the Demon Roar with amazing agility. It takes flight as the attack goes underneath it, impacting against the far wall with a loud explosion. The Seraph dives swiftly towards JiEin, but the secksy android rolls out of the way, a Trimate reducing the shower of sparks that spray from the gaping wound in his torso.

The Seraph's blade leaves a burning hole in the metal flooring as it stands from its crouch, an ear-splitting cry summoning the other four Seraphs from their pursuit of the frightened Resistance soldiers. Keiko, Leah and Neifirst walk over to join X and JiEin as they confront the hovering Seraphs. The hovering menaces shriek with rage, then each extends its sword arm, the blades retracting as an orb of green energy forms on each arm's tip. Sensing what they are about to do, Leah thrusts her sword outward, the purple barrier of a Saint Guard springing up around the group as the green beams of killing light lance towards them.

As the Seraphs close in for the kill, blades extended and cries of glee erupting from their hideous heads, the group scatters, assuming fighting positions. X starts the assault with a Demon Roar that causes two of the Seraphs to swoop apart. Leah and Neifirst run towards the nearest Seraph, their weapons cascading off it harmlessly as it hurtles by. It meets their next attacks with it's shield, then pushes them both back with a shockwave of energy.

Keiko lightly dances out of the way of one Seraph's attack, then backflips to avoid another three strikes. The last one comes close, leaving a shallow cut on her leg. She heals it with a quick Resta, then hisses with rage and stabs her katana at the Seraph, who intercepts the metal blade with its shield, photonic sparks flying. It batters her down, but is struck from behind by JiEin, the attack not even leaving a scratch on the creature's hide.

X is embroiled in an aerial battle with two Seraphs, fighting defensively as the two creatures try their best to impale him. He sends a roiling ball of flame at the nearest one with his Ryuenjin: Gou technique, but the intense heat of the attack does nothing but anger it. He is repaid for his attempt at offense by a carefully coordinated double shield smash from the two creatures that knocks him to the ground.

_Damn...I should've been able to dodge that. This weakness is really getting old..._ Taking back to the air, he sees Neifirst, Leah, JiEin and Keiko all struggling. He watches the movements of the Seraphs for a moment, then gets an idea as he watches his friends pummel away with no real effect.

"Keiko! Freeze one of them, and have Ji use his Heat Blazer. Then, Nei and Leah hit it with everything you've got. I'll keep the others busy." X says, taking to the air. He hurls a Demon Roar at one of the Seraphs Nefirst and Leah were battling, causing the creature to whirl about and fly towards him. He takes off, circling the room as three Seraphs give chase.

Keiko grips her Muramasa with both hands, channeling technique energy into the blade. Frost forms on the weapon as she leaps into the air, then unleashes a wave of icicles. "Hyouretsuzan: Souga!" she cries, as the Seraph is encased in a solid prison of ice. Keiko lands and dashes away as JiEin's chestplate opens up, a red dot growing larger and larger as energy is drawn in to fuel his Heat Blazer. The android braces himself, aiming the massive cannon at the frozen creature. He fires the scarlet beam, the wave of heat causing the Seraph to glow red as it is bathed in fiery destruction.

JiEin holds the beam on the creature until steam begins to pour from his body, only stopping when his frame is unable to take the heat. The Heat Blazer shuts down and his chest plate closes. His swiftly-released Freeze Trap absorbs some of the heat overload, but his movements are still stiff. Leah and Neifirst leap into action as the Seraph begins to get to its feet, pummeling it with a series of powerful attacks. Leah's sword opens a gap in the newly brittle white armor, and Neifirst opens it wider with a series of powerful strikes from her Meteor Cudgel.

The Seraph staggers back as Neifirst uses the last of her conduit power to charge the Meteor Cudgel with a dark flame, the mystically enhanced weapon boring a path straight through the creature. It cries out in agony, its body beginning to dissolve. With the last of its strength, it stabs the weakened Neifirst as she tries to free her weapon, the green photon blade of its sword arm emerging out of her back as it dies. The blade is withdrawn as the creature turns to dust, the blade shattering into a million tiny fragments that melt as they hit the ground. Neifirst utters a single word as she falls back, a gaping wound in her torso.

"Damn..."

JiEin is beset by three Seraphs, the creatures breaking off their pursuit of X as they sense what happened. They pounce upon the android, attacking viciously with their photon blades. Leah dashes towards Neifirst as Keiko turns her attention to helping JiEin, while X fires a point-blank Shinkuu Majinken at the Seraph following him, the tightly-coiled line of demonic energy severing the creature's blade-arm off. X swoops downward to intercept a Seraph that leaps towards Leah's back, as Keiko tries in vain to help JiEin with the two attacking him.

X catches the flying creature's blade with his crossed katanas, being pushed back by the Seraph's inhuman strength. Straining, he turns to Leah.

"How bad is it?"

Leah finishes casting Resta, and replies, the waver in her voice revealing the seriousness of Nei's wound. "She's unconscious. Resta and Trimates are only slowing the bleeding. It's bad..." Leah cuts a strip off of Neifirst's sleeve, and uses that as a makeshift bandage. X continues his battle with the Seraph as Leah fights to save her best friend's life.

JiEin staggers as two photon blades stab into his chest. Still weakened by overuse of his Heat Blazer, he is unable to defend himself as the Seraphs pound on him. Keiko hisses with rage and leaps at the nearest Seraph, channeling a flame around her sword as she spirals into the air, then unleashing three flaming wheels. "Ryuenjin:Souga!" she says softly, as the scorching attack ricochets harmlessly off of the nearest Seraph's back. She lands in a crouch, then springs to the side as the Seraph's blade sunders the metal floor where she was just standing.

Keiko casts Shifta and Resta as she dashes towards JiEin, the healing spell helping to bring his systems back from the verge of total overload. His frame battered, scorched and dented, he rises to his feet and turns, nailing the Seraph with a two-handed, Shifta-enhanced slash. The impact of the blow knocks the creature back, but does little actual damage. The Seraph recovers in mid-air with an impressive flip, then dives towards the android, its photon blade severing through Ji-Ein's left arm easily.

JiEin nearly falls over, unable to completely support his blade with one working arm. A clumsily aimed swing at the nearest Seraph hits only air, and the dodging creature's foot comes down on JiEin's severed arm. A loud sizzling crunch is heard as vital components are smashed. JiEin abruptly realizes the extent of the damage as revised accuracy readouts scroll across his field of view.

"NOOOOOOOOOOO! My S-Parts! DIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEE!" JiEin shrieks in an oddly warbling tone, leaping forward to drive his sword through the Seraph's chest. Overloading his circuits, he dumps every last ounce of power his body is capable of generating into the blow, the massive sword flaring with energy as it cleaves the Seraph in half. The mangled creature's two halves fall to the ground, disappearing in whisps of smoke. Overloaded, spent and severely damaged, JiEin's frame shuts down. The Seraph Keiko was fighting breaks off its pursuit of her and swoops towards JiEin.

X continues his struggle with the Seraph trying to attack Leah, finally channeling a Demon Roar into his blades as he stabs the creature. The katanas, charged with dark energy, leave gaping wounds as the Seraph staggers back. X's finishing blow is intercepted by the armless Seraph he wounded earlier. The injured Seraph is consumed in a dark pillar of fire before fading away into a cloud of smoke.

The two remaining Seraphs fly to the top of the room, screeching oddly. Leah picks up Neifirst and carries her over to where Keiko is trying to reboot JiEin's CPU, X covering the four of them with a charged Demon Roar.

X surveys the Seraphs warily, as they descend towards a group of Resistance soldiers they had dispatched. Most of the advance team had left while accompanying Cranberry's group, though those that stayed behind had been nearly obliterated. X gazes at them for a few moments longer, a fierce rage burning within him. He shakes hair out of his eyes and turns to his friend as he drinks the bland contents of a Trifluid.

Keiko has managed to retrieve JiEin's mangled forearm, the metal plating dented and crushed. She is still unable to reboot his systems, and though Resta and a Moon Atomizer have repaired some of the outward damage, the damage to his internal systems seems much worse. Leah crouches over Neifirst, the worried look on her face slightly abating. Neifirst's face is sheened with sweat, though her body is no longer contorting in agony every few moments, and the bleeding from her wounds has slowed to a mere trickle. Leah casts one more Resta, then rises from her crouch.

"X...what are they doing? And what's going on with Labyrinth?" Leah asks, stretching out her legs as she stares at the Seraphs.

"I'm not sure. They aren't attacking, for some reason. When I make a move towards them, they react, but they haven't attacked yet. And the barrier has gotten too dense to see through." X replies, jerking a thumb back over his shoulder at the now entirely opaque white barrier that separates Labyrinth, Lucca and Zionus from them. His view shifting back to the Seraphs, he lets out a muffled curse as the vague 'bad' feeling he's been getting through his conduit suddenly intensifies tenfold.

Several bright flashes of light appear from the direction of the advance forces' remains, and five Seraphs suddenly spring into being. The two Seraphs, joined by their comrades, begin moving around to the corpses, extending their blade arms and passing an eerie green glow over the corpses. As X watches, horrified, the dead bodies become Seraphs.

"Leah..." X says in an oddly disconcerted voice. "Put up your strongest Saint Guard, and make sure to get the others within it. Draw on Elnoa if you have to." The hunter says, his body going tense.

"Ok, I should be able to. I've got quite a bit of photon energy built up. But why?" Leah asks, her question answered as she looks over at the rapidly growing crowd of Seraphs.

"X, come closer, I can't get you inside the-" she begins, her voice rising in barely-surpressed panic.

"Do it, now!" X cries, his body crackling with energy as he rises into the air.

The purple barrier snaps up a mere split-second before a hail of green energy blasts cascade into it. The crowd of around fifty Seraphs rise into the air, deciding to go after X instead. He backs away rapidly, firing off as many Demon Roars as fast as he can, realizing that only dark energy is capable of breaking through their defenses. With the massive swarm of Seraphs, finding a target is not difficult, but the effort is akin to trying to melt an entire snowstorm with a torch.

Inside Zionus' barrier, Labyrinth's frame is blackened and dented by the impacts of repeated Ruby Bullet shots. Zionus hovers, gloating maniacally as he forces his captive to attack again and again.

Labyrinth blocks another incessant shot with a raised forearm, the elongated photon blast leaving a dark scorch along his arm. The android replaces his NUG in its capsule, the bazooka disappearing with a shimmer of light. He withdraws a Frozen Shooter and takes careful aim, the shot easily encasing Lucca's gun arm in a sheet of solid ice. Before the Ramarl can free herself, Lab dashes forward, crushing the frozen barrel of the Ruby Bullet with one massive hand. Lucca frees herself from the ice and drops the mangled weapon, staring at Labyrinth with a blank look in her eyes. Zionus laughs maniacally, and slightly loosens his hold.

**"Let's see what the infidel has to say, shall we?"**

Lucca's eyes return to their normal deep blue, and she looks at Labyrinth with an expression of anguish he has never seen before.

Forcing her words through clenched teeth, she begins pleading.

"Please...Lab...kill me. He's...in my mind. Twisting, usurping, burning." Tears streak down her pale countenance as she continues. "It hurts so badly... AUGH!" Lucca seems to go limp for a few seconds, slumping forward as Zionus reasserts his hold. She resumes her blank, slack-jawed stare as Zionus laughs again.

**"Well, will you kill her? End her misery? She would not be in pain if she would just submit to my will, and bow at my feet like the worthless human she is."** Zionus says, a smug look on his face. **"What's left of your pathetic Resistance is currently being ripped to shreds by either my faithful followers or my Seraph army. Even your precious hero X is about to die. It's over. If you bow to me now, I will grant them a quick death. But you, and all the others, must beg for it. You must kneel at my feet in submission, and I will end your worthless existence for you."**

"You really don't get it, do you? Dying an honorable death in combat is a thousand times better than submitting in the slightest to a pathetic excuse of a being like you. There are operating systems worthy of more 'praise' than you." Labyrinth replies, replacing his Frozen Shooter in its capsule. "I am programmed to have no pride, and yet I still would allow myself to be sold as a refrigerator before I would give in to your irrational ranting."

Zionus commands Lucca to attack him again, snarling with fury. Labyrinth sidesteps the stab she makes at him with a DB's Saber replica, and applies a swift blow to the back of her head that knocks her unconscious. She falls to the ground, unmoving.

**"Very well then. You end here."** Zionus says, raising a hand that glows with power. Labyrinth locks his knees and undoes the final safeties on his Omega Cannon, readying it to pour every bit of power in his reactor into the blast. The yellow beam of the cannon and the white beam of Zionus' wrath meet, each vying for purchase. The glare given off by the two nearly blinds Lucca as she slowly comes to her senses. The battered Ramarl rises to her feet, grasping the discarded DB's Saber as she watches the two struggle.

"Release my companions, and Eriror doesn't get killed. We can all leave here alive." Nova says coolly, his gaze going to both Shard and Kimiko in turn.

"Hahahahaha, that's funny. Even at point blank range, that peashooter couldn't penetrate Eriror's armor. Besides...I can kill all three of you in the space of a few seconds. I'm just drawing this out to be dramatic." Kimiko says, her voice sickeningly sweet.

"Right. And that's why I nearly had you back when we rescued X, huh?" Nova says, grinning. Kimiko's only answer is a growl of rage, sounding odd coming from her innocent-sounding voice synthesizer.

"The master will not submit to your demands, Ranger. We have been ordered to wipe out all Resistance heretics." Shard says, her blade twitching towards Axios' neck.

Eriror moves slightly, stopping when Nova presses the barrel of his Yas more firmly into the pinned Hunter's back.

"Nova, if I do not kill you for this, the master surely will. Let us cease stalling and end this." Eriror says.

_"Get ready."_ Nova thinks, hoping that at least one of his teammates can hear him. _Sage's lessons weren't exactly 'thorough'._ he thinks to himself, allowing another tight smile.

Kiara readies herself to cast a Zonde technique, straining to not reveal her intentions. The concentration is made difficult by the pain of her wounds.

Axios glares at Shard as the humming purple blade of her weapon twitches ominously towards his neck. He begins to charge a Gifoie, waiting for Nova to make his move.

Nyreal stares at the scene unfolding in front of him, barely able to move. His crushed ribs and broken arm pain him greatly, and hinder him in sitting up. He silently hopes that Nova knows what he's doing.

The muffled sound of an explosion in the next room starts a chain-reaction, the three groups moving as one. Nova cartwheels to his right, springing away from Eriror as he begins firing. Kiara's Zonde hits Kimiko's rifle as she fires, throwing off her aim slightly. The Ano Rifle shot hits one of the Kamui's that the Hunewearl threw into the air, the shot ricocheting off with a resounding clang, the blade being the only thing separating the killing beam from her heart. Kiara draws her Suppressed Gun and fires as Kimiko tracks for another shot, Nova's first Yasminkov shell hitting the android ranger in the eye as Kiara's shot hits the control mechanism on her weapon. Sparks fly from both damaged areas as Kimiko screams in rage, the back half of her head plating now lying on the floor, blown off by the shell's exit.

Nova's second shot hits the handle of Shard's weapon, shattering it as Axios' Gifoie technique breaks the ice around him. The spiraling spheres of flame nail Shard as the Fomar breaks free, and he stabs her with the front half of his Rokujou Twin, the shining golden blade tearing a massive hole in her chest. His follow-up attacks are dodged easily, but a pulse of Gizonde into the gaping wound causes Shard's body to seize up as vital internal components are swiftly overloaded. The android is unable to move as Axios' follow through attack swiftly severs her head from her body.

Nova's third shot as he hits the ground is aimed at Eriror, the impact of the shell narrowly throwing off the killing blow the enraged hunter aims at him. However, the force of the shell is not enough to entirely stop the attack, and Eriror charges forward, cleaving Nova's gun in half. Eriror continues his relentless assault, easily blocking the ranged attacks Kiara and Axios begin hurling at him. Nova backs away, scrambling for a weapon. _Mechs jammed, Yas destroyed, Flight Cutter accidentally dropped...this isn't good. I can't stop a Zanba with my bare hands..._

Nyreal struggles to his feet, barely able to move. His attempts at a Resta are foiled by his drained technique reserves, and as he looks down at his item capsules, he realizes the wetness on the front of his robes is not entirely from his blood. Eriror's attack had smashed the last of his Fluids, leaving him out of resources. A quick search reveals that giving the members of his unit his extra Trimates was ill-advised as well. _Hmm...this sucks._

On Ragol, Sigma groans softly in pain as he slowly emerges from the crater Megido had made. His body is horribly burned, and movement is agony. He draws on the power of the Great Light that Zionus granted him, and focuses the energy into a wave of healing light. He feels his connection to Zionus weaken, and gets a flash of rage from Zionus as he realizes how much energy he just used. When he attempts to power back up, he is met with only sparks of intermittent light as a terrible weakness floods over him. He is able to draw his sword, but the once shining blade is now a dull grey, barely able to maintain its corporeal form.

_Damn. I over did things. Hopefully the master will realize that I need more power. It's not as if he needs all the power at his disposal to crush those weaklings..._

Lorna smiles at Alis, and gives her the thumbs up. "The plan worked, my lady. He is greatly weakened, and he had to use an enormous amount of energy to hold his body together."

Alis laughs weakly, feeling more drained than she has ever been before. Casting Megido had taken more than she realized, even with her and Lorna combining their efforts.

"I must rest for a bit, Lorna. I am sorry." Alis croaks, supporting herself on one arm.

"No worries. I'm going to teach this imposter what the meaning of pain really is..." Lorna says, steel in her voice. She summons her lance, and strides toward Sigma, who had been blown far back into the distance. A smile emerges on her face, but it is underlined by a look of rage in her eyes.

Seeing Sigma begin to stir, she picks up her pace, moving from a casual stroll to a swift walk, to a gentle jog, then a loping run, and finally a full-on sprinting charge. She reaches the disoriented clone as he draws his sword, and launches herself into a vicious series of verbal and physical attacks.

"Foul usurper! Betrayer! Filthy wretch! You are not worthy of the power that was stolen to create you, abomination!" Lorna yells as she stabs her lance past Sigma's weak guard, inflicting a grievous wound. He cries out in agony for the first time in his life, backing slowly away from Lorna with his sword wavering. His knees wobble as he beholds one of the many people he tried to kill on an even footing with him for once, and fear strikes his heart. A look of terror comes over his face as he stares at the enraged woman.

X grunts in pain as the mindless army surges over him, slashing, ripping, clawing and tearing with an inhuman ferocity. He releases a burst of pure dark energy, the shockwave incinerating two of the creatures with purple flame and giving him a bit of breathing room. He hovers, blood streaming from countless wounds. His clothing is in tatters, yet the pants still remain miraculously untouched. The shirt, on the other hand, has barely more than a strip of cloth left to it. He feels a strange sense of elation despite the pain of his wounds, and a curious wellspring of strength begins to grow within him.

Nova dodges another swing from Eriror, as Kiara and Axios rush over to help. Kiara tosses Nova a weapon capsule as she runs over to him, then continues her mad dash to strike Eriror in the back with both of her Kamuis. She backflips away as Eriror turns to strike, laughing as Axios lands a solid hit on the Hunter with his Rokujou. Axios blocks a counter-attack, bestowing the blessings of Shifta and Deband on his friends.

Nova withdraws a Spirit Gungnir from the capsule, the yellow blade flaring into life as he swings at Eriror. He pours technique energy into the blow, moving the weapon around Eriror's cumbersome Zanba with his incredible reflexes. The combined efforts of the Dreamchasers quickly wear down the veteran hunter, though he gets in a few good shots. Kiara nurses sore ribs as she gets up, after being smacked away by a Zanba hit that would normally have cleaved her in half. Axios is blasted by an orange orb of light that leaves his robes smoldering and a weak feeling over his entire body. Nova takes a knee to the stomach, but manages to bash Eriror with the pole of the Gungnir before the Hunter can strike.

Sigma calls upon more power, feeling his master's aura weaken temporarily. As the light heals the damage Lorna had just inflicted, he hears a scream of rage in his head.

Zionus raises his hands in triumph, a silvery white beam lancing from them to intercept the android's Omega Cannon. **_Hmph, this won't take long..._** he thinks, as the two beams begin to struggle for superiority. Suddenly, a great weakness washes over him, as Sigma draws more power than Zionus had allotted him. Zionus's beam weakens, and he has great difficulty holding back Labyrinth's beam. He opens a mental channel to Sigma as the yellow beam overcomes his guard and engulfs him in a searing wave of yellowish light.

**_"No, you incompetent fool! Not now...ARGH!"_** Sigma hears his master scream, and a wave of pain rushes over him from the first time as his creator is seriously harmed.

Sigma staggers, but is quickly brought to his feet by an uppercut from the blunt end of Lorna's lance that leaves his face bleeding.

He grunts in pain, then snarls at her, not noticing the change in his voice until he has spoken. "Insolent wench. I shall kill you for...huh?" He looks down at himself in shock, seeing the familiar glow that has accompanied him all his life fade completely for the first time.

Lorna looks him up and down, then begins laughing. "Well...looks like someone just got cut off. Now, you'll feel all the pain you've caused." With this, Lorna leaps at Sigma, battering him to the ground with her lance. She follows up with a flurry of blows that leaves him reeling, cowering on the ground with terror.

"You...it's not fair. I'm the strongest! I'm the best! I'm better than him, I'm better than you, I'm better than anyone!" Sigma screams in a voice that bears a strong resemblence to a petulant child whining for candy.

Lorna laughs again, a bit mockingly. "Aw...did the poor baby lose his big stick? What's the matter, afraid you might not be able to hide behind your 'master' anymore? Let's see what you're really made of, oh 'great one'." Lorna dispels her spear with a spoken command, following that up with another command that causes her armor to vanish into a misty vapor.

She stands there motionless for a few moments, the wind blowing her long blonde hair about as mist slowly fades from her body. She smiles ferally, the smile reaching her eyes in a predatory manner. Without another word she begins to slowly walk forward, smiling all the while.

"What...what do you want from me...?" Sigma asks, suddenly terrified. He backs away, stumbling slightly as Lorna's casual pace devours the distance between them.

Eriror backs off warily, waving his Zanba around as a sudden feeling of confusion washes over him. This is followed split-seconds later by the worst headache he has ever experienced. He drops his Zanba and shudders in agony, clutching both hands to his temples as he grits his teeth to keep from screaming.

X withdraws his Orotiagito from the Seraph he just impaled, surprised at how the creatures had all seemed to suddenly weaken. He hears a high-pitched whine of energy from behind the opaque barrier, which is suddenly punctuated by the sound of a man screaming in agony. He smiles, and rushes at the crowd of suddenly confused Seraphs, cutting a vicious swath through them with graceful sweeps of his sword. Each attack he makes seems to bring strength back to him, and by the time around ten of the curiously weakened creatures have been dispatched, the fatigue from the previous battle is gone entirely.

_Hmm...that's odd. That funny weakness I've had ever since Zionus imprisoned me is starting to fade. Oh well. I can worry about that after these things are gone._

Sigma continues to back away as Lorna walks closer, hesitant to attack without his powers to back him up. Lorna senses this, and smiles.

_Hmm...he seems a bit rotten on the outside, but I'll be willing to bet there's a tasty soul underneath there. I can feel it, occasionally. This may be fun. But a little taste-test first._ Lorna thinks as she draws nearer to Sigma.

_What is this witch trying to do? Stupid insects...all of them. I am a god. I do not deserve to be treated with such disrespect by this base animals. I will prove my superiority._ Sigma thinks, as he backs up into a small stone outcropping, his back hitting the rock wall and stopping his movement.

Lorna smiles,then places her hands on either side of his head, sliding them down the wall to grasp him by the shoulders. She leans lightly in, gazing down at him.

"Well, it seems I've finally caught up with you. I have a simple test for you, though. Please relax, this won't take long."

Sigma snarls at her, struggling to break free from her surprsingly strong grip. His protests are cut off as his mind suddenly fills with an image of Alis, only to be followed seconds later by an agony unlike anything he's ever felt before. He screams, twisting away frantically, begging for the pain to end. Abruptly, it is gone as quickly as it appeared. He falls slightly, but is caught and easily pinned against the rock wall. He looks at Lorna uneasily as his vision clears, seeing a rather hungry grin spreading across her face.

"Well, two things. First, I might as well explain what that was. It was a small fraction of the pain you caused the Lady Alis, dampened slightly to keep your admittedly weaker will from breaking underneath it. That was the test. Now, for your result. You failed, miserably. You hide behind your 'master', and the power stolen from a true hero, yet underneath that you are nothing."

"Stupid wench! I'll kill you." Sigma sputters, as Lorna easily restrains him.

"Actually, I'm wrong. Saying you're 'nothing' is a bit much. One should not refer to their dinner in such a disparaging tone."

Sigma screams soundlessly as Lorna embraces him, feeling his very essence begin to be absorbed.

Zionus staggers to his feet, drawing power from the Great Light to heal the grievous injuries he had just sustained. He howls with rage, seeing the overloaded form of Labyrinth in front of him.

**"You pathetic wretch! You sought to hurt me. Now pay with your feeble life."** Zionus says, as he feels power begin to seep away from Sigma. He focuses his inner sense for a moment, then snarls inwardly as he feels his Seraph army being decimated. With all this, the sudden breaking of his control over Eriror's mind during his brief moment of weakness is too much to bear. He struggles for a bit, trying to balance the many tasks he is suddenly having to maintain, and does not notice Lucca creeping up behind him.

Eriror slowly gets to his feet, shaking his head. He looks around, and sees the Dreamchasers in front of him, battered and bruised. All around him are bodies, some wearing the white uniform of his unit. As he stares, at a loss for words, an enormous contingent of his troops rush into the cavernous room he occupies. At the sight of them,a torrent of memories flood back to him in an instant, and he slams his Zanba into the metal flooring with a cry of utter rage as he remembers the atrocities he was forced to commit. His face sets in a hard line a moment later, and he walks over to the Dreamchasers.

"I...remember you. I also remember the horrors that have transpired. We must put aside our petty differences for the moment, and end this madman's reign of terror." he says, addressing Nova.

"Eriror?" Nova asks, looking confused. As he stares closer, he sees that Eriror's eyes have returned to their usual hazel, instead of the bright blue they had been while he was under Zionus' control.

"He's freed." Axios says, immediately. "Zionus lost control or something..."

"Yes, he did. I have no doubts that he will try to regain control when he can, but until then...I shall fight him. Men, follow me!" Eriror says to his closest group of troops, who follow him easily towards a nearby door, their minds free again for the first time in a long time.

Kiara stares at Eriror's back in shock for a moment, then turns to Nova. "Nova, did you just see...?"

"Yeah. You're not dreaming. Zionus finally lost control of the Pioneer army." Nova replies, as Nyreal walks over.

"What now?" Nyreal asks, dumbfounded.

"Nova! We go to deal with the enemy. Take your troops and retreat. The entrance you used is blocked, but there is another that leads to an exit on the other side." Eriror says, tossing Nova a keycard. The Ramar catches it easily. "That card will get you past security. I suggest you hurry, as I am not sure how long this moment of clarity shall last. Good luck." Eriror says, striding through the open door with the look of a man ready to meet his demise proudly.

"What...the...hell...?" Axios asks, as Eriror's troopers follow him.

"Yeah, my thoughts exactly. Eriror isn't one for subtlety. I'm actually reasonably sure this isn't a trap." Nova helps gather up the remnants of their attack force, and they begin the retreat. As the last of the remaining Resistance soldiers make their way through the exit, the bodies they left behind glow with a faint green light...

As she drives the DB's Saber into his spine, Zionus loses all control for a brief moment. He batters Lucca away with a vicious backhand, and withdraws the saber, healing the physical wound. However, the curious draining feeling persists, as he feels more than half of his stored power leaking away like water from a broken bottle. A thousand minds are loosed from their imprisonment, and begin buzzing like an angry swarm of bees.

In his attempt to regain control of Pioneer 2's army, he does not feed enough power to the Seraphs, and X begins truly decimating them. As he tries to reinforce the Seraphs, the draining of Sigma's soul speeds up without Zionus' presence to ground him. The disasters spiral into total chaos, as the entirety of his army deserts him, rallying behind their newly freed leader Eriror.

**"AAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH!"**  
Zionus yells, furious as his plans fall apart around him.

X dodges a blow from one of the last remaining Seraphs, then neatly severs the creature in two. Leah had dropped her Saint Guard, unable to maintain it any longer. Her and Keiko stand watch as X obliterates the last Seraph with a massive Demon Roar.

X hovers over and lands, his wing retreating into his back as he grins at Leah.

"Told you I'd handle it. I'm feeling a lot stronger for some rea-...aaaarrrrggghhh!" X screams, clutching his torso with both hands as he falls to his knees. Leah runs over, terrified.

On Rykros, Lorna continues to drain Sigma, shining wisps of power floating off of his body. As she drains more and more, the fleeting presence locked within Sigma frees itself, the shimmering figure of a long-haired hunter leaping from Sigma's body.

_Lady, I have no idea who the hell you are...but thank you._ The spirit says, as it disappears in a flash of light.

"Wait...you were the one I wanted to...dammit!" Lorna cries, disappointed. Sighing, she turns her attention back to Sigma, but the first second of draining his true soul has her recoiling with a look of utter disgust on her face.

"Ugh, you are rotten. You aren't even worth the trouble to finish eatin-" Lorna's reply is cut off as the form of Sigma also disappears, the faint aura of a teleportation spell whisking him away.

"Not agaaaaaaiiinnn! What do I have to do to get a decent meal around here?" Lorna pouts, pressing her head against the stone wall for a brief moment. Her rant is interrupted by a soft cough behind her. She turns to see the figure of the Guardian spirit she 'persuaded' back in the trials, and she smiles broadly as she reaches for him, the smile that of a cat who just figured out how to open the birdcage. The spirit sighs softly, but manages to impart his message before he becomes a buffet course.

X doubles over in pain, his body arching as a shining stream of wispy light rushes into his body. The hollows in his cheeks, the faint washed-out look about him and the mysterious weakness that plagued him all disappear in an instant as his soul is fully restored. The pain is gone a second later, and as he rises he feels better than he has in a long time. He flexes his arms, then stretches, before turning to Leah with a smile.

"I'm back." He says simply, as Leah rushes at him and hugs him. The two hunters embrace for a moment, then X walks over to Keiko, Neifirst and JiEin.

He reaches out one hand, lightly toucing Neifirst's face as a dark aura flares around him. A wisp of power flows from him to her as a power signature exactly like that of Reverser, only purple, shimmers around them both. When he withdraws his hand, Nei's eyes open, and she slowly sits up.

"X? What the hell did you do to me, brat?"

"I awakened your conduit, and used that to heal you. There are a lot more uses for it than 'Rawr, I smash puny humans', you know..." X says, as Neifirst proves she is fully healed by lunging at him with a punch. He dodges aside easily, as Neifirst smiles.

"Well...you seem back to your old self. That, or you finally figured out the meaning of 'evasion'."

"Yeah, something like that." X says. "Now, I'm going to go face Zionus. I want you to take Ji and as many of the soldiers that came with us as you can find, and get out of here. Without the Rings I might not be able to kill Zionus, but I can have a great time trying. He's got a lot to answer for..."

"What do you mean, you can't kill him?" Keiko asks.

"Without the Rings to cut his power, he's unkillable." X replies, not blinking an eye.

"How do you know this? Have you tried it or anything?" Keiko asks, as she helps Neifirst drag JiEin to his feet.

"Remember back when I was unconscious for that long stretch of time?"

"What, you mean after you and Leah...?" Neifirst begins, smirking.

"Hush. No, after Zionus attacked the Resistance Headquarters. Darkness appeared to me in the form of Zero and took the time to explain a few things. She also mentioned something about 'attaining ultimate power' or something, but that wasn't anything out of the ordinary." X says.

"...right." Nei says.

"Anyway, you need to get out of here before..." X begins, but he is interrupted by the appearance of Eriror and a large portion of his personal guard.

"What, you again?" X asks, bracing himself for a fight.

"We are not here to fight you. The madman's control over us has been broken. He will be made to pay for his crimes. Help us or stay out of our way." Eriror replies.

"Hmph, looks like he slipped up. I can handle him, but I guess you can watch if you want. Give me a minute, and I'll crack that barrier around him." X says, turning to his friends.

"We'll go, X. Just please...be careful." Leah says, sharing a long embrace with X before she helps Keiko and Nei drag JiEin over to a corner. X manifests his conduit, the dark wing springing from his back as Eriror watches impatiently. He fires off a massive Demon Roar with no apparent effort, blasting a hole in Zionus' barrier that allows his friends through. Seeing them walk past the gaping hole in the wall, he smiles. They disappear in a Telepipe, and he turns to Eriror.

"Look chuckles. I don't like you, I don't trust you, and I really don't think you'll be of much help. Please try to not get yourself killed." X says darkly.

"Right. You mentioned something about the barrier?" Eriror says.

"Yeah, but first..." X braces himself, drawing energy into his body as furious bolts of dark lightning begin to crackle around him. His entire body is consumed in a pulsating aura of dark energy for a moment, and when it fades he is fully transformed, each hand turned into a familiar-looking dark claw as two majestic sable wings sprout from his back. His hair stands up slightly as he rises aloft.

**"Now...let's go pay this madman a visit..."** X says, bringing both hands together as he charges a massive Demon Roar. The shining black halo, bigger than X's body and trailing dark lightning, streaks towards the barrier. As it hits, the energy shield buckles inward before dissolving. Zionus hovers slightly, as Lucca and Labyrinth hold weapons on him.

The self-proclaimed god seems to shrink into the wall as he sees X at full power. He pales even more as Eriror rushes at him, Zanba held high. The Hunter makes it about ten feet away before Zionus lifts him into the air, ripping his mind apart with an exertion of power. Eriror hits the ground with a thud, twitching as his last vestiges of independent thought are ripped away from him.

**"Now, obey me."** Zionus says, turning to the soldiers.

He is answered by every soldier in the group, and more that stream into the room, raising their weapons and opening fire at him. Zionus snarls with rage and hurls a bolt of power at them that X easily intercepts. As he launches another attack, X blocks it again. This is repeated five more times, with Zionus growing more and more frantic in his assault.

**"Why won't you fools die!"** Zionus asks, as he senses the return of the battered Sigma. He mentally orders the few remaining Seraphs to gather up Sigma, Shard, and Kimiko and take them to his chambers. He teleports Eriror away from the scene of battle, then casts the spell to turn every corpse in the building into a Seraph.

**_I was unable to do that with all the other strains on my attention, but...it doesn't matter now. The Seraphs will wipe out the Resistance and the last of the dissenters. I shall deal with X mysel-ugh._** his train of thought broken by the Demon Roar X hurls at him. He lets out a wave of power as he yells with rage, the nearest soldiers shaking in fear and falling over. X simply smiles, and rushes at him.

X charges at Zionus, nailing him with a Demon Roar as he approaches. As X reaches Zionus, he uppercuts him with one clawed fist, the force of the blow knocking Zionus into the celing. Before Zionus can recover, X has warped up to him and kicked him into the far wall. Zionus' impact leaves a crater in the wall, and the barrage of Demon Roars X unleashes upon him only makes the crater wider and deeper. When Zionus finally breaks free, his body smoking and scorched, X flies at him, tackling him back into the wall and delivering a rapid-fire series of blows with such force that the entire citadel shakes.

The claws on X's fists leave gaping wounds that still manage to heal before the next blow is struck. In frustration, X punches both fists at Zionus, pinning him against the wall as he charges up a Hyper Demon Roar. Zionus struggles to break free, but is unable to do so as the enormous blast erupts at point blank range, blowing a hole in his torso. He cries out in agony, yet the power of the Great Light has the wound repaired before the echoes of his scream die down.

X backs off, slightly winded from the amount of power he just used. Zionus smirks evilly, then floats away from the wall. **"Impressive. But even with your full power, you are incapable of killing me. And Sigma at least managed to make sure that you will not be getting the Rings... hahahahahahaha!"** Zionus gloats, firing shots off at the crowd of soldiers behind X. _He must be bluffing. There's no way that cheap dye-job imitation could have stopped them. I hope..._X warps towards them, intercepting the killing beams of light with crossed arms.

**"You fool. You could save yourself, if it were not for that pathetic desire to play the hero."** Zionus says conversationally. **No matter, really. I've unleashed a new wave of Seraphs on the remnants of your advance force. And the people you are protecting now were until very recently under my command. Or have you forgotten that?"**

**"It's more like I don't really care. They don't like you, so they're fine with me. Although...you could leave, y'know. It'd be a lot easier." **X says, turning to the recently liberated soldiers.

"No! That madman killed the commander. We can't let him get away with that." One of the soldiers says, speaking up. His comrades nod in assent.

**"Yeah, but you see...you can't really do anything useful at the moment. I can barely scratch him, and I've got all the cool lights. You have...Varistas. Please, leave."** X says, beginning to get frustrated. _Who am I kidding? I can bash on him all day, but it won't have much of an effect without the rings. And if I drop my guard, he could easily kill me. Or any of these people..."_

Nova's group quickens their pace, hearing the bizarre screeching of a group of Seraphs behind them. Nyreal and the Dreamchasers are bringing up the rear as their troops follow the corridor to safety. As they turn the corner, they see the last of their troops entering into the same courtyard they originally entered the citadel through. The soldiers cheer, and rush for the safety of the forest. Nova's group makes it out into the corridor as the last of their soldiers leave the Citadel. A green barrier springs up, singing Kiara's hair as she tries to step over the threshold. The familiar screeching becomes louder and louder as the four turn, seeing a swarm of Seraphs flying towards them. They draw their weapons and brace themselves as the creatures rapidly approach.

"This barrier, I think it's controlled by the console over there." Nyreal says, pointing with his good arm. "It's a standard photon barrier, not one of Zionus' strange ones."

"Well, that means it's easier to get past, huh?" Axios asks.

"We only have to get through them..." Nova replies, pointing to the massive group of Seraphs that stand between them and the barrier controls.

Yokote and Brom bring the Landale out of its rapid-transit warp, near the planet Ragol. Sage's heart leaps into his throat as he sees the familiar metallic sheen of Pioneer 2 again. He smiles, then goes back to monitoring the situation on Ragol again.

Lissandra gently contacts him with a passing mental touch. _"Sage, we're nearly there. What now? Where do we go?"_

Sage mutters to himself for a moment, then answers her aloud. "We're going directly to Ragol. That's where all hell's been breaking loose for the past few hours."

"Sounds fun." Yokote says, steering the Landale towards Ragol.

"Yay, fleshbags to kill. Again!" Brom states, with a prominent undertone of glee.

The Landale moves closer and closer, its hull beginning to heat up as the descent to Ragol's surface begins. Sage exerts a telekinetic shield over the ship with a thought, bracing it as it enters the atmosphere. They slice through the clouds easily, then level off as the verdant surface of Ragol appears below them.

"Where to, Sage?" Yokote asks, checking the scanners.

"There's a large building located in the northern part of this hemisphere..."

"Which is giving off energy readings like crazy. I assume that would be it?" Yokote finishes.

"Yes. From what I can tell, the Resistance mounted an attack and suffered heavy casualties. But Zionus' forces seem strangely diminished as well." Sage says. After reaching out a hesitant telepathic probe, his face grows pale.

_Sage, those emanations you are feeling are from a creature known as a Seraph.They are highly durable, agile, and deadly._ Lutz says into Sage's mind.

_"I figured that much out. How do you know so much about them?"_

_I've seen rumors of them in the archives of the Mansion. They were originally given life to protect the temples of the Great Light..._

_"Great, so once again the Great Light left something lying around that could wipe out a planet. Lovely..."_

_They should prove to be very weak against both dark-based attacks and the power of the Rings._

_"Alright then. Nova's group is surrounded by a bunch of them. We have to help them."_

_Sage, the demon is doing battle with Zionus as we speak, but his strength is beginning to falter._

_"Yeah, I feel it. We'll have to split up."_

"Well, we have two things to take care of. The Resistance launched an attack, and though it failed most of them were able to escape. A small group is left, fending off a new weapon of Zionus' called a 'Seraph'. Liss, you and Brom need to go help them. Yokote and I are going to go help X." Sage says, handing Brom and Lissandra each one of the Rings.

"I thought Alis said we weren't 'worthy' to use these." Liss asks wryly.

"She's wrong. They should work fine." Sage replies, as Lutz confirms his statement.

Lissandra, Yokote, Brom and Sage each take out a Ring and place it on their wrist, as Yokote brings the Landale in close to Zionus' citadel. The ship hovers over the courtyard where Nova's group is fighting a desperate battle, and Brom and Lissandra leap out, Lissandra's telekinesis slowing their descent to a manageable level. Brom gives out a shout of glee and rushes at the Seraphs, as Liss lands near Nova and the others.

"Who the hell are you?" Axios asks as the white-robed Esper lands next to him.

"I'm Lissandra, and the android is named Brom." Liss says.

"You're with Sage, huh?" Nova asks, noticing the ornate ring on her wrist.

"Yes. He said to try and break the group of you out of here. But Brom seems rather set on killing those things." Lissandra says, as she goes about healing Nyreal and the Dreamchasers. A few Restas have them back to fighting trim, as Brom hacks and slashes his way through the crowd of Seraphs, the interference field given off by the Ring he wears greatly weakening the creatures.

Lissandra recasts Shifta and Deband, then strengthens it with a telekinetic barrier. "Well, Brom has managed to deal significant damage to their forces. We should be making our retreat now." As Lissandra says this, she activates the controls for the barrier telekinetically, dropping the green shield. Brom runs out of opponents a few moments later, and grudgingly retreats alongside Lissandra, Nyreal and the Dreamchasers.

Meanwhile, X and Zionus are locked in a furious battle. X's attacks do incredible damage to Zionus, but X is unable to inflict any lasting harm. The double strain of protecting the defectors from Zionus' army and fighting Zionus is beginning to take its toll on the hero. He flinches slightly, and is battered to the ground by a blast of white energy from Zionus. He gets hit five more times before a NUG Bazooka shell hits Zionus in the back, staggering him. The irate 'god' whirls about, to see Labyrinth and Lucca blasting away at him.

**"I thought I killed you already!"** he snarls, as he unleashes a deadly beam of light that X is barely able to block in time.

"You know...it would be so much easier if everyone who isn't protected by the infinite power of Darkness would get the hell out!" X snaps, glaring at Lucca and Labyrinth.

"We wanted to stay and help you..." Lucca begins.

"No, don't worry about it. Just go!" X says, rushing at Zionus to buy them time to escape. The wondrous feeling of euphoria he had felt when the weakness disappeared had faded rapidly, to be replaced with a bone-deep fatigue that was mental as much as physical. He grimaces in pain as another attack from Zionus gets past his guard, leaving a long burn down his side. In his brief moment of distraction, Zionus sees his opportunity. He exerts all of his will, grabbing X in a wall of force and slamming him into the ceiling. X struggles to escape as Zionus pummels him, and has the wind knocked out of him when Zionus slams him to the floor.

With X (briefly) incapacitated, Zionus takes his chance for revenge, and charges a massive ball of energy in one palm as he blocks the defectors' escape with a wall of force. A faint runic circle appears around his hand as he aims the attack, a smile coming across his face.

He hears a loud explosion, and turns, wondering how his attack could have caused an explosion before he cast it. He gets his answer seconds later as a green bolt of force suddenly creates a sunroof in the main room of his Citadel. Snarling at this interruption, he focuses his power and opens fire, an enormous silver beam of energy lancing toward the crowd of people.

Yokote hits the door release as he fires another burst from the Landale's cannons, yet his query to Sage on "What do we now?" remained unanswered. Turning his head, he sees the tail of Sage's robe trailing out the door.

_I can't believe he just jumped out..._ Yokote thinks, as a bright glare shines up from the Citadel.

Sage leaps from the Landale, slowing his descent with his powers. He sees the beam streaking towards the crowd of people, and instinctively holds out his right hand, bearing one of the Rings of Stars. He taps into Lutz' power as he falls, creating the tightest telekinetic shield he has ever made. His body flares with energy as the Ring responds in kind, forcing back the blast of divine energy effortlessly. Sage hits the ground as Zionus' attack is deflected harmlessly, a cry of shock coming from the people behind him. An instant later, Zionus screams with rage as he feels the presence of one of the Rings of Stars.

**"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"** he yells, his voice alone causing the walls of the Citadel to shake.

Sage shuts him up by drawing his dual Yasminkovs and firing two shots,the telekinetically-guided bullets blowing massive holes in Zionus' torso. For the first time, the self-proclaimed 'god' bleeds, as he falls to the ground in agony. The Great Light heals the damage, but the repair is much slower in coming.

"Come on, we need to go." Sage says to the defectors, as Yokote brings the Landale down inside the Citadel. They are swiftly ushered aboard the ship through the loading bay, Lucca and Lab going up last. Zionus stirs, as Sage beckons for them to go.

"What about you, Sage?" Lucca asks, as the Landale begins to rise.

"I'll be along in a bit. I have something to take care of first." Sage says, as the packed ship takes off for the Resistance base. Sage walks over to where Zionus lies regenerating, draws his guns, and unleashes a fully-charged barrage at the fallen tyrant.

"I know that won't kill you, not yet. But I hope it hurts."

The Fomar walks over to where X lies, unconscious, and revives the downed hero with a quick casting of Reverser. X blinks slowly to awareness, turning to see the brown-robed Fomar at his side. Sage helps X to his feet, then smiles.

"I told them I'd be back eventually." Sage says, holding up his Ring-clad arm.

"About damned time. What took you?" X says.

"Eh, stuff. Listen, we should probably get out of here before he starts moving again. You aren't in any shape to fight him, and I can't take him by myself. We need to regroup." Sage begins, as they see Zionus start to stir.

X nods his assent, and Sage forces a path through the barrier with several well-placed Yasminkov shots. The two are away as Zionus gets to his feet, any damage healed.

**_They have the Rings, but they are unable to defeat me without all five around at once. I must prepare for their pathetic attempt at an assault..._** Zionus thinks, as he sets up a much stronger barrier. The Citadel is encased in a solid white dome that pulses and glows with power, as Zionus begins to rebuild his shattered empire.

X and Sage appear inside the Resistance's Ragol base, emerging from the shimmering ring of a telepipe, and are immediately surrounded by a crowd of people.

As they begin to make sense of the situation, Lorna and Alis appear from a shimmering warp gate, adding to the confusion.

"Well, now what?" Sage asks, as their companions crowd around.

After a well-earned rest of a few hours, some organization of the force under the part of Labyrinth and escorting the prisoners back to their homes, X and Sage are sitting on a balcony outside the Resistance's Ragol base. Zionus' citadel is surrounded by a so-far impenetrable barrier, and the Resistance is rebuilding their forces.

"So, X...what should I do?" Sage asks, lounging against the railing.

"Why are you asking me?" X replies, shrugging his shoulders. "And why are we hiding from everyone?"

"Because everyone's looking to me to find out what to do, and at the moment I'm not entirely sure. That, and you've had experience with this whole 'saving the world' thing before. I figured if anyone could give good advice, it'd be you." Sage says, sighing.

"Heh, thanks. Anyway, you don't need to worry. I think I know what happened. You've been bumped up to 'main character' status. Congratulations."

"Huh?" The Fomar asks, puzzled.

"Well, basically...now every important decision to be made gets routed to you, and nothing significant will happen until you set a certain chain of events in motion." X says, taking out a much-worn paddle ball. He begins playing with it as he looks off into the distance.

"That...makes no sense." Sage says.

"Eh, blame 20 years of convention and plot devices. Anyway...there's something I need to show you, and there are some choices you need to make." X says, creating a small purple portal below him. "This is called a 'pocket space'. It'll take us to the 'Character Select Screen'. Step inside, please." X says, motioning to the portal. Sage steps over hesitantly, then is sucked inside.

He feels a rush of air for a brief moment, then appears on what seems to be a flat, totally dark plane. Three person-sized crystals shine about ten feet away, and as he walks toward them a wave of light washes over the plane, revealing an intricate stone temple. He walks over the flagstones to the three crystals, as X drops lightly behind him.

"Ah, there they are. Go over to the crystals, please." X says, pointing. Sage does as X instructs and walks up. As he reaches his hand out to touch one of the crystals, a large blue screen appears on the far wall. As it takes shape, portraits of all the people from the different groups appear on one side, as the blue screen separates into two smaller windows. On the right sit portraits of 16 of Sage's friends and companions. On the left sit portraits of Sage, X and Ayame.

"Why are we up there?" Sage asks.

"Because, all three of us are 'required' at the final battle." X answers.

"What do you mean, 'required'?"

"I don't know who is 'requiring' it, but I'll tell you this. I will get back at Zionus for everything. You aren't going without me."

"I wasn't planning to. But...two things. For one, why am I 'required'? And why's Ayame up there?"

"Well, you're probably up there because you've received 'main character' status. Ayame's up there because she got really mad when she found out we didn't take her with us. I don't have the money to buy out the entire world's supply of ice cream, so I have to let her go with us. Then again...she can handle herself pretty well now."

"How do I get rid of 'main character status'?" Sage asks.

"I have no clue. But you might want to try taking off the Ring, if for some reason you don't want to go to the Zionus fight. The five non-conduits that are going will need the Rings."

"Ok." Sage's attempt to remove the Ring from his arm is met with blinding pain in his head. He hears a message from Lutz as the ringing in his ears stops.

_"I **will **confront Zionus. Either I kill you and find a new host, or you go. Those are your only options. Besides, I thought you'd want to go."_ Lutz says into Sage's mind.

_"I do...I was just curious."_

_"Curiosity killed the catgirl. I would suggest you not trifle with whatever it is that's orchestrating this."_

_"Yeah yeah, I get it..."_

"Well, looks like you won't be taking that off. So yes, you are 'required'." X says, smiling.

"I want to go fight regardless, but I was just wondering why I'm being forced to when I'd like nothing more to go anyway."Sage glares at the Ring on his arm for a moment, then goes back to looking at the pictures.

"Hey, that's your droid friend JiEin. He was repaired?" Sage asks, as he scans the portraits.

"Yeah, Elly's working on it. He's pretty distraught about his S-Parts, though. The crystals must think he's in fighting shape, or will be by the time you're ready."

"Hmm...your girlfriend Leah, that scary newman lady with the purple hair, the girl that turns into the cat...Nova, Kiara, Axios, that Nyreal kid, Brom, Yokote, Liss, Lorna, Labyrinth...oh, there's Cran, Striker and BR. When'd they show up?" Sage asks, recognizing them.

"Oh, when the Dreamchasers helped bust me out of Zionus' clutches. We ran into them in the Mines as we were making our exit."

"Ok then. So I need to pick people to go in the four slots on the screen below you, Ayame and myself?" Sage asks.

"Yeah. The crystal to your right offers a description of each slot, and the crystal to your left offers a rundown of each potential 'party member's ' abilities."

Sage touches the crystal on the right, as a differently-coded frame appears over each empty slot.

Words scroll across the screen as Sage 'highlights' the first slot by thinking about it. The portraits of JiEin, Leah, Labyrinth and Striker light up with a bright yellow glow, the glow over the first slot matching it.

Words begin to come from the crystal in a beautifully cultured, soothing voice.

"The first party member goes in the 'tank' slot. Also known as 'meat shields'. This term is generally applied even if the party member in question is made of steel instead of meat. Possible choices for this slot are JiEin, Leah, Labyrinth and Striker. Please select the party member you wish to have more information about, and hit the "Y" button on your controller. Select a party member with "A", and cancel your selection with "B"."

"What controller?" Sage asks, as an elaborate video game controller embedded with shiny crystals appears from the main crystal. "Oh...that one. Hmm...should't be that hard."

After some careful thought, Sage selects the portrait of JiEin and places it in the first slot.

"So, you picked JiEin. Any reason?" X asks, stretching.

"I'm hungry, and he makes good noodles. I've been to his restaurant a few times."

"Fair enough. What's next?"

"Hmm..."

The second slot on the screen lights up with a bright red glow. Four portraits on the right light up as well, the glow illuminating the faces of Yokote, Black Raiden, Brom and Neifirst.

"I guess it's 'Primary Attackers'."

Pondering for a few moments, Sage lets out a deep sigh.

"What's wrong now? You're taking forever to do this, you know..." X says, lounging against a stone pillar.

"This one's tough. Brom probably has the most raw destructive power, but he's kinda...scary. Same with the crazy Newman lady. Black Raiden would be really good at it, but I'd rather keep her and Striker here in case anything goes wrong. I know they could handle it. Yokote's an excellent fighter, but he's already been maimed once while helping me. I'm not sure if I want that to happen again."

After a few more minutes' deliberation, Sage reluctantly places the cursor on Brom, and selects him. A red glow covers his portrait for a second, as he moves to the second party slot.

"Well, with JiEin there, maybe the sane Hucast can balance out the crazy one. Or they may just turn on us and kill us all..."

"Nah. Ji's pretty good at dealing with psychotic fellow droids. You never met his brother, did you?" X asks.

"No."

"Well...yeah. I think he'll handle it just fine. And if not, I'll ask him to bring his wok. Anyway, what's next?" X says, walking over to the crystal to look at the abilities readout.

"Secondary Attackers." Sage replies, as a green glow appears over the portraits of Nova, Keiko, Nyreal and Kiara.

"Heh, secondary attackers. Keiko's going to be mad..."

As Sage is mulling over his next choice, a submenu appears, asking LEARN ABOUT COMBINATION ATTACKS? Yes No

"What's this?" he asks X.

"Can't you guess?" X asks. "But let's look at it anyway; it might be helpful.

Sage grunts "Sure, why not ..." and clicks Yes, and suddenly Lorna appears, in her full blue bikinied glory. "Tadaa! Let's learn about combination attacks!" she says, grinning.

" ..." Sage replies, as X simply stares.

Lorna smiles as X gawks, his jaw nearly hitting the floor. As a stream of nearly incoherent babble begins to come from his mouth, Sage sighs softly and sends a telepathic jolt to X's brain. _I'd forgotten to introduce them. This should be...interesting._ he thinks.

"X, this is Lorna. Lorna, meet X." Sage says, motioning to each in turn.

Sage's mental slap to the back of the head cuts through X's haze, briefly reactivating his higher nerve functions. He jumps slightly, finally managing to tear his gaze away from Lorna's chest.

"Hi there. Sage, you never told me you knew such a beauty." X says, stepping closer to Lorna.

"Yeah, we met on Rykros. Anyway Lorna, what's up?"

"You mentioned something about 'combination attacks'?" X asks, flashing a dazzling smile. "You know, I'm a master swordsman. Perhaps we should go discuss some unique combination attacks..."

"Well, that's what I'm here for." Lorna says, smiling broadly.

_"Uh, X...I know she's tall, but she could probably understand you better if you were looking at her face instead of her chest..."_ Sage says telepathically.

_Details, details. Is she single?_

_"X, she eats souls..."_

_Ooh, kinky._

_"Eh, don't feel bad. She had the same effect on me when I first met her."_

_Tall, gorgeous...she's still talking though. Did I miss anything?_

"Sage does have a point, dear. It's bad form to stare without asking." Lorna says, glancing at X as the sound of her voice interrupts the mental conversation.

"...right. Anyway, about those combination attacks..." X replies, still smiling.

Lorna coughs slightly, then continues.

"As many people know, combination attacks have been a staple of many anime and anime-inspired works," Lorna says undaunted, smiling prettily. "In fact, the noble heroes who first fought the Profound Darkness back on Motavia used combination attacks - including the justly-famous Grand Cross and Paradin Blow ..."

"Paladin Blow," Sage corrects, adjusting his glasses.

"Paradin Blow," Lorna says, throwing magic dust on Sage and shrinking him to the size of a Star Wars action figure. "Now don't interrupt dear; I still have a lot to say."

Sage gulps as Lorna, with a winsome smile, pins him under her foot, draining him silly, and continues talking to X like nothing is out of the ordinary. "So, it should come as no surprise that the heroes who gather here today are likewise capable of combination attacks, some quite powerful indeed." She looks at X and harrumphs. "X hun unless you want to be under my other foot stop gawking at Sage and start paying attention."

" ... Just how much more of that dust do you have?" X asks. "That stuff looks like fun..."

"Only enough to last me for cutscenes - now then, the point of this diversion is to inform you two to take into consideration the various combination attacks your choices for the final party will enable, both against Zionus and against everyone Zionus throws at the rest of us. For example; should you choose to include me in the Zionus party you will unlock a powerful combination attack which shall reveal some interesting backstory."

"Oh?" X sounded mildly unenthused, still staring at Lorna.

"Um ..." Sage was too busy being smushed to do anything but wriggle helplessly and be drained.

"However, should you not vote me in the final party, you'll unlock a different combination attack involving more backstory and copious fan service," Lorna says, grinning.

"Fan Service?" X and Sage ask in unison, their eyes lighting up like kids in a candy store.

"Just how much fan service?" X asks.

"Oh ... you'll see," Lorna says impishly. "If you choose to, of course. There are other combination attacks, ones that don't even involve me. Sadly ... I can't tell you what they are. But do stop to think about how your upcoming choices could enable certain combination attacks; who knows what special abilities you might unlock?"

With that, Lorna walks back, letting Sage go. "Oh, the dust will wear off in a bit - tata dears, see you when the main plot kicks back in!" With that, she blew X and Sage each a kiss and was gone.

Sage pops back to normal a moment later, looking woozy. "Oh boy ..."

"So, you never answered me. Is she single?" X asks, as Sage slowly gets to his feet.

"Better question...are you?" Sage replies, brushing himself off.

"Ah, dammit. Anyway...how come you get away with being happy at fan service, yet I get hit in the face?" X asks.

"Being telepathic has many fringe benefits. I usually know when I can and can't get away with saying certain things..."

"Must come in handy." X says, as Sage suddenly gets a pained look on his face.

"Uh-oh...Leah's standing outside the pocket space. I think she just met Lorna..."

Sage shakes his head, still feeling slightly woozy after Lorna's "hands-on" tutorial. He slowly walks over to the crystal, and after making a few mental calculations, selects Nova's portrait and places it in the third slot, the green glow briefly lighting up the room. As he does this, the final four portraits glow with a bright blue light.

"So...almost done?" X asks, taking out his paddle ball and acting rather bored.

"Yeah...this is the last one."

"You realize this is taking absolutely forever, right?"

"I mean, come on...they probably think we've died in here." X says, playing with the paddle ball once again.

"Well, how do you go about selecting party members?" Sage asks.

"Eh, there always seems to be exactly enough people available when I need them. Never too many, never too few."

"Anyway...what's this category?" X asks.

"Main Healer, apparently. The four choices left are Cranberry, Lissandra, Lorna and Axios."

_Lorna can 'main heal' me anytime..._ X mutters, as Sage begins to scroll through the ability descriptions.

Sage smiles as X finally notices Lorna's picture is among the choices. This decision, unlike the others, is made rather quickly. He briefly glances over the four portraits, then makes his choice, selecting Lissandra's picture and placing it into the last slot. X stares for a moment, then lets out a cry of anguish.

"What the...? Why isn't Lorna going?" X asks frantically.

"Lorna mentally contacted me. She says she has a 'bad feeling' about Zionus' plans, and thinks that a signficant force should stay behind to protect the base. She volunteered to lead it, so...I figured I'd let her. Besides, I think Liss would hurt me if she didn't get to go." Sage gets a pained look on his face at this, which X quickly recognizes.

"Oh god...that's the 'my girlfriend just took out the whip' face. So that's why you're letting Liss go, huh?" X asks.

"Uh...she's not..." Sage replies, blushing slightly.

"Yeah, yeah...whatever. You have that whipped look in your eyes." X says, laughing. As Sage turns to leave, X stops him.

"Wait a minute... " X says, thinking for a moment. "NO! This means we've got two male androids, three human males, my niece and a non-single girl. You can't expect me to work at full capacity while not surrounded by catgirls. That's just cruel, Sage."

Sage laughs for a moment. "It'll be fine, don't worry. I'm sure you'll have a chance to spend time with Leah before you go. Besides, don't you want people you trust staying back to protect the civilians in case Zionus pulls something...?"

X grumbles, but after a few moments gives in. "Well, it is your choice. It's interesting seeing someone else get slapped with the 'main character' stick for once. I guess this'll just motivate me to kill Zionus faster, so I can leave the sausage party that much sooner."

X and Sage leave the pocket space, to find Leah, Lorna and Neifirst standing outside. Unfortunately for X, he sees Lorna first, and says hi, rushing over to see Leah standing behind her with the look of an angry wolf about her. X pales, then stammers a greeting at his girlfriend.

"Hello X. I was wondering if you'd forgotten my name for a second. I was talking to Lorna here. Obviously...you two have met." Leah says,glaring. Lorna smiles mischeviously at Sage, then winks as Sage begins to slowly edge out of the ring of people.

"Oh yeah, Leah, Nei...meet Sage. He's the guy that retrieved the Rings." X says, frantically grabbing Sage's arm.

"I've already met Leah, when we got back to base." Sage replies meekly. "But I don't think I've ever been introduced to Neifirst." Sage bows slightly. "Nice to meet you, Neifirst."

Nei grunts in assent, clearly more interested in the tongue lashing X is about to receive. She is surprised when Leah turns to her. "Neifirst, Sage doesn't really know his way around yet, other than his sleeping area and here. Could you help him?"

"Ah, I should be fine. I'm going to go look for the people I've chosen to go wit-..." Sage is interrupted by a glare from Leah. Nei's cries of protest are also quickly stilled.

Grumbling, Nei grudgingly agrees. "Fine, fine. Tata brat." Nei roughly grabs Sage by the arm and practically drags him away from the balcony. When they are down the hallway and out of earshot, Nei releases his arm. Sage winces, rubbing it slightly.

Nei glances back down the hallway, seeing that the door to the balcony is shut. She frowns, then turns to see Sage casting Resta on his arm.

"Oh, don't be a wuss. I didn't hurt you that badly..." Nei begins, then takes in Sage's garments. "Ah, nevermind. You're a force. The lack of the man-dress threw me off. All you humans are weak, but you Forces are the weakest of all..."

"Well, sorry for not having the good sense to be born a newman." Sage replies a bit testily.

Nei laughs. "Well, at least you're smarter than the brat."

"The door's locked, and Lorna's established a sound-proof bubble around it with her telepathy. You won't be able to overhear..." Sage says, echoing Nei's thoughts.

"How did you...?"

"Despite the fact that anyone could see how eager you were to see X get ripped apart, I'm a telepath. When I went to cast the Resta, Lorna contacted me. As I opened the link, the crushing pain in my arm distracted me, and I caught a glimpse of your thoughts. My apologies...though it was still pretty obvious." Sage replies, grinning at Neifirst's stunned expression.

"Wow. You're pretty damned brave to talk to me that way. I was wondering how a wuss like you was able to retrieve the Rings, but now...it makes a bit more sense. I think I've finally met a human I don't instantly want to kill. Maiming however...is a different story." Neifirst says. She is pushed back by a wave of telekinetic force, as Sage smiles politely at her.

"I really don't feel like getting beat up today. I've still got to deal with Cran's Sato. Lorna said to tell you that if you'd like to listen in, she can open a mind link."

"Uh...right. I'm sure Leah'll tell me what happened. I don't want to deal with anyone poking around in my head. Especially not some half-dressed homewrecker."

Sage smiles again. "Well then, shall we go? For a first stop, I need to find JiEin. Do you know where he'd be?"

"Probably in Elly's lab, getting repaired."

The two head down the hallway, Neifirst leading the way.


	14. Finale

Sage and Neifirst come to a lab,where the sounds of a large machine nearly deafen them. They step inside to find JiEin's deactivated frame on a table, with both forearms detached. Elly is working at a bench, seemingly grinding down a small piece of metal. Lissandra stands inside, waiting. A faint blue glow surrounds her. At the sight of Sage, she smiles broadly.

"Sage! I was wondering where you ran off to." She says, coming up to him and, to his surprise, enveloping him in a nearly bone-crushing hug. She releases him a second later, blushing slightly.

"So, Elly...when will JiJi be up and moving again?" Neifirst asks, snapping Sage and Liss out of their 'moment.'

"As soon as I reattach his forearms." Elly replies.

"Won't he go into some sort of psychotic android rage when he finds out his S-Parts are gone?" Neifirst asks.

"No, he won't. I've repaired his old S-Parts that he lost a few years ago, and Lissandra here actually found a set when she was helping clean up the base." Elly says, pointing to Liss.

"Oh, how convenient. Say...why are the two of you glowing?" Nei asks.

"Not sure. If JiEin starts glowing yellow when he wakes up, it's because I picked he and Liss for the group to go with me." Sage replies.

"Thanks! You do realize that I'd have to hurt you if you didn't pick me, right...?" Liss asks, laughing.

"Yeah." Sage says, watching as Elly checks the fit on the new left forearm she was adjusting. Satisfied, the newman walks over and attaches the two forearms to JiEin's frame. She makes sure the connections to the S-Parts are securely attached, then walks behind him and flicks a switch on the back of his head, before closing his head plating. JiEin's eyes spring to life with a flash of light as he sits up.

"Thank you for repairing me, Elly. And thank you for finding those S-Parts, Lissandra." JiEin says, as he swings his feet off of the maintenance table. He stands, a faint yellow glow surrounding him.

"Elly...is the glow some new modification?" JiEin asks.

"Uh...no. Actually, that's my fault. You see, I picked you to go with me to face Zionus." Sage says, stepping forward.

"You must be Sage, then. Nice to meet you. What took you so long to return with the Rings?" JiEin asks.

"There were several trials and obstacles along the way. Anyway...will you agree to go with me?"

"Certainly. I have many reasons for wanting to see Zionus' life ended. Who else is going?" JiEin replies.

"Lissandra, X, Ayame, Nova, Brom and myself." Sage says.

"Who's Brom?" Neifirst and JiEin ask in unison.

"A Hucast that helped me greatly on Rykros. I'm going to go try to find him."

"Very well." JiEin replies. Lissandra, JiEin and Neifirst fall in behind Sage, who turns and stares.

"You're...following me?" Sage asks, puzzled.

"You're the 'main character' now. As members of the final party, we follow you around." JiEin replies.

"Uh...ok."

"X didn't explain this very well, did he?" Neifirst says.

"No, not really. And...why are you following me, Neifirst? I...uh... didn't pick you..." Sage mumbles, as he walks from the room, followed by Lissandra, JiEin and Neifirst.

"I'm a 'guest'. I follow you til a plot event decrees otherwise." Nei says.

"Ok." Sage answers, heading down the hall. "Say, is there a secluded place where someone could break stuff without really getting in the way?"

"Sure." Liss answers. "There's a door that leads outside to the forest right through there." She says, pointing.

Sage and his party members exit through the door, only to hear what appears to be the sounds of a battle. They walk outside to see Brom tearing through a crowd of rather frightened Boomas. A faint red glow surrounds him.

"Die, die, die fleshbags!" Brom yells, clearly enjoying himself. "This weird red light can only be extinguished by bathing in the blood of all those who have blood!" He decapitates a Booma, then turns to send his fist into the face of another, knocking it to the ground.

"Hi Brom." Sage says, as Neifirst and JiEin stare.

"Hello weak flesh-creature. Have you come to allow me to free you from the captivity of your fragile outer meat-shell?" Brom replies, a distinct tone of happiness in his voice.

"Uh..no. Not exactly. We're going to attack Zionus' citadel tomorrow, and I want you to go with me." Sage says, as JiEin and Neifirst are still frozen in shock. "That's why you have the red glow all around you..."

"You have ordained me with the mark of the fleshling's blood?" Brom asks.

"Yeah...I guess you could say that."

"Finally, someone respects my hatred for those lowly fleshlings..."

"So, will you come with me?" Sage asks.

"Certainly. Those Seraph things were fun to destroy. They make nice noises when you stab them."

Neifirst's eyes glaze over in a nearly dreaming manner, as JiEin finally is able to say something.

"Sage...you must be joking. This psychpath is nearly worse than my brother Blue." JiEin says, staring at Brom.

"You are the brother of Blue...? The savior of android kind...? The pioneer of all things related to killing fleshies?" Brom says.

"Yes, and I also helped destroy him." JiEin replies coldly.

"You are the chosen one! He who wears two S-Parts! Join me, and we shall destroy the kingdom of the hated flesh-coated oppressors!" Brom stabs his sword into the ground and extends his hand.

"I'd...rather not. Sage, are you certain this android can be trusted?" JiEin asks, turning to Sage.

"Yeah. He talks a big game, but he was very helpful on Dezolis and Rykros. He even saved us a couple of times. He's incredible in combat."

Brom mumbles something about 'bathing in the blood of the meatbags', but is cut off by Neifirst stepping forward.

"So...you agree with me that all humans are weak, and should be destroyed." Neifirst says, smiling.

"Only humans...? Why draw the line there? All inferior creatures made of meat should be eliminated. Including newmen, puppies and various creatures raised for the sustenance of the fleshling overlords. We androids shall create a utopia, free from the tyranny of those that bleed..." Brom stops as Neifirst begins to flare with energy.

"You have a problem, flesh creature? Other than being made out of meat, and obviously inferior to our sleek metals..." Brom's statement is cut off by Nei leaping forward and swinging her Meteor Cudgel at him.

"How...dare...you...! No one calls me inferior and lives to tell about it, android or no!" Neifirst and Brom begin a furious battle, Brom unable to reach his sword.

Sage sighs, then telekinetically separates the two. "I can't have the two of you killing each other before the battle with Zionus..."

" b He called me inferior! /b " Nei snarls, straining against Sage's barrier.

"Yeah, he does that a lot... Anyway, if you two insist on fighting, it's going to be unarmed." Sage says, yanking away Nei's Meteor Cudgel and Brom's Doombringer with his powers before stowing them in capsules.

"Fine!" Nei snarls, clawing and hitting Sage's barrier.

"Fine. I haven't gotten to fight a fleshling with teeth in a while. I'll try not to reduce her to her component parts just yet." Brom replies.

"...right. Anyway, have fun you two." Sage says, walking off as a puzzled Lissandra and JiEin follow behind. As they go back inside the building, Sage releases his barrier, and the sounds of impact reach the trio's ears.

"You're just going to let them fight it out...?" Lissandra asks, sounding worried. "That Neifirst lady was in a killing rage..."

"Yeah, why not? I tweaked Brom's internal circuitry a bit with my telekinesis. The switch I hit either lowered his power output or put a block on killing fleshies. Elly helped telepathically by pointing out what those type of switches are like."

"That's...devious." JiEin replies. "But effective."

"Yeah. Those two will fight it out, and hopefully come to some sort of agreement before tomorrow. Brom can't kill her, and Elly can repair whatever damage Nei does to Brom. It'll do them both good to get out some of those killing urges."

Editor's Note

This segment of Rise of Zionus has been lost, due to the editor's incompetence. Basically...it's preparations for the final battle, some character interaction and some hot Force on Force action. They prepare for the final battle, Sage gets a cool new saber, then they go to Zionus' citadel. Those not chosen for the final party end up staying behind to defend the Resistance base. And we end up...here.

End of Editor's Note

Ayame casts a super powered Shifta and Deband on the group, her special techniques far exceeding the normal strength of most. Supercharged by the glowing blue and red lights, the seven begin to tear through the Seraphs, more and more swarming in as the initial wave falls.

Sage immobilizes a Seraph with a telekinetic grip, and then unleashes a flurry of shots. Seeing only half of them hit the stationary, nearly point-blank target, he curses softly, then begins telekinetically guiding the hail of metal his Yasminkov's spit out. The barrage of gunfire obliterates the Seraph, blowing it to bits. He turns to watch X and Ayame draw their katanas, charging towards two Seraphs.

At a signal from X, they raise their swords, lighting them ablaze with dark energy as they execute a dashing strike through the Seraphs, the two blades leaving a X-shaped line of dark power as they cleave through the Seraphs. A shockwave of released power radiates outward, consuming several more Seraphs in a dark flame that reduces them to ashes within seconds.

"Well, this is easier than expected." X says, sidestepping effortlessly as a Seraph swings at him. The creature's follow-up attack is interrupted by JiEin shoving his sword through the Seraph's face, the enormous blade cleaving the monster in half as it disappears into wisps of smoke and ash. "Yes, the Rings make this remarkably less complicated." Ji says, swatting down another Seraph that leaps at him. X and Ji take off, attacking another group of Seraphs and cutting them down mercilessly.

Nova is beset by a ring of Seraphs loosely surrounding him. He fires a Yasminkov burst at the nearest one, then leaps aside as another swings at him. He kicks off a nearby Seraph's back, springing into the air as he unleashes a hail of gunfire on the crowd, killing three. He lands, shoulder-rolling and getting to his feet as two more approach him. He kicks one in the face, pushing it back before obliterating its upper body with a burst of mechgun fire. The last of the group comes behind him, and he crouches to dodge its swing, bringing his leg around to sweep its feet from underneath it. As it falls forward, he draws his Yas 7 V and points the barrel at the creature's face, the powerful shell making a ruin of its head.

Lissandra sends a flurry of slicer blades at the approaching group of Seraphs, the attack wounding several. She freezes the stragglers with a Rabarta wave, then watches as Brom plows through them, his Doombringer shattering their frozen bodies effortlessly.

"I like fighting these things. They scream like fleshies, yet they move faster and spew more liquids when you kill them. How many more are there?" Brom asks, as the group gazes around the room at the carnage they have unleashed.

"A lot... We should get moving. Zionus's throne room is towards the center of the fortress."

b i The Seraphs are unable to do much more than slow them down. The power of the Rings renders my perfect weapons vulnerable. /i /b Zionus thinks, seeing the beginning of his end through the eyes of his Seraphs, right before Sage's group destroys the next contingent of the creatures in their way.

On the other side of the planet, the first group of Seraphs touches down outside the Resistance base, as powerful photon cannons spring into life, blasting away furiously. The Seraph's ethereally glowing green wings fold up into the two projections on their back, their blades extended for battle. They tear past the first line of defenses, their incredible strength showing its true horror when not dampened by the distortion effect created by the Rings.

A Resistance soldier barely has time to sound the general alarm before he is impaled by a Seraph, the green blade ending his life with but a hint of pain. More and more of the creatures swoop towards the base, boiling up in a white cloud that nearly blocks out the sun, streaking across Ragol. They breach the first wall, landing inside a courtyard. The defense force is waiting, standing outside the Resistance base. Alis puts up her strongest barrier yet, the purple glow enveloping the building, shielding all inside.

Lorna smiles lazily and steps forward, calling her staff from thin air. She summons the icy armor around her, a wickedly sharp blade of pure ice forming at the tip. She points with her lance, giving the signal for the Resistance volunteers to attack. As her troops surge forward, she begins draining the souls of the Seraphs, weakening them enough for the Resistance soldiers to do damage. The two forces collide with a horrible impact, the Seraphs' high-pitched screams drowning out the cries of pain from the Resistance soldiers.

Striker takes aim and fires a series of explosive shells from his Baranz Launcher, the powerful shots ripping through the group of Seraphs approaching him. As Black Raiden and Cranberry come up behind them, he gives the signal, throwing out a series of damage traps. Cranberry ignites them with Gifoie as Striker picks Black Raiden up and throws her through the fiery cloud, the explosions from the traps imbuing her Double Cannon with a powerful heat charge. She lands in the midst of the Seraphs and slams her weapon into the ground, releasing a massive explosion that incinerates a good half of the thirty Seraphs around her. Cran and Striker fling spells and shots as Black Raiden plows her way through the crowd, her Double Cannon rising and falling, each stroke ending a Seraph's existence.

"Lorna's soul drain thing really weakens these things..." Axios says, standing beside Kiara as they cut down the Seraphs that come near them.

"Yeah, but there's a lot of them, and more on the way. Let's hope Sage hurries. We can't keep this up forever."

Neifirst releases the power of her conduit, charging her body with dark energy as she dives into the fray, swinging her Meteor Cudgel in an impressive display of ferocity. She is backed up by Keiko and Leah, the three newmen easily wiping out the group of Seraphs near them. "I don't remember this being so easy..." Keiko says, stabbing her katana into a Seraph's chest, then igniting the blade with Foie and kicking the spasming creature away.

"Last time we didn't have Lorna to weaken their defenses. She may dress...strangely, but she's a big help." Leah says, repelling a barrage of energy bolts with a Saint Guard before decapitating the Seraph that launched them.

Yokote spins around, slashing the two Seraphs in front of him with his sabers, cleaving the sword arm off of one before continuing his momentum to cut the other in half. He fights his way over to Lorna, who's busy weakening the ever-growing army of Seraphs, shielded by a wall of ice.

"They just keep coming. We can't keep this up forever. And although we're doing fine, the run of the mill soldiers are no match for these things..." Yokote says, skewering an over-eager Seraph that leaps at Lorna.

"Yes, but I'm sure Sage will manage to defeat Zionus before it becomes too big of a problem. If not...I still have a few tricks up my sleeve. We just have to keep them busy."

Sage turns a corner, followed closely by Liss and Ayame, completely discarding conventional rules of party arrangement. X looks around, finding something familiar about the area. Brom and Nova follow, with JiEin bringing up the rear.

"You know...now that I'm back at full power, I'm starting to remember a lot of the stuff from when I was possessed." X begins, as the group comes to a large antechamber.

"Oh?" Sage says, turning to X.

"Yeah. Like...where Zionus' throne room is. That's probably where he's at. It's...that direction." X says, pointing. "Step back."

The group looks puzzled for a second, then realize what he's doing as a black feathered wing shoots from his back, energy crackling around him. He raises a hand, the black halo of a Demon Roar charging in front of him. Before he can fire, however, another Demon Roar shoots forward, obliterating the wall; he was aiming at. He fires the shot anyway, demolishing the wall behind it, then turns to Ayame with an accusatory look on his face.

"Hey, what was that for?"

"I like blowing stuff up with the conduit power too. It's fun!" Ayame says, her smaller, dark-purple wing retreating back into her body as she powers down.

"..."

The group continues forward, stepping through the hole created in the wall by the two conduits. Sage and Liss extend their hands as the group steps through, both showing signs of slight strain. As they reach the other side, a cascade of debris falls down, no longer held by their telekinetic grip.

i "Good thinking." /i Sage says to Liss.

i "You too. You've gotten quicker." /i 

"You humans and your thinking at each other. Your pathetic analog thought processes are horribly outdated." Brom says, glancing at the two.

"Yeah, but the telepathic aspect of it comes in handy at times." Sage says, smiling.

"Shouldn't there be more stuff to fight?" Ayame asks, gazing around at the near total lack of resistance.

"Probably. Though...if I'm right, he's sent the bulk of his army to attack the Resistance base." Sage replies.

"Makes sense. He's the type of vindictive person to do that." Nova sees movement out of the corner of his eye as he says this, and draws his Yasminkovs. "We have company..."

Shard and Kimiko appear from a shadowy corner of the room, their bodies covered in white armor reminiscent of the Seraphs.

b "The master will not allow you to stop his plans. We have been sent to ensure your demise." /b Shard says, her gauntleted arms producing two dark purple photonic blades.

b "Yes. We'll kill you all, and dance on your corpses!" Kimiko laughs as she unleashes a series of powerful blasts from the glowing crystals located on her new armor. Her arms come up, transforming into two enormous cannons. She gathers energy and fires at the group, causing them to dive in opposite directions.

Brom charges towards Kimiko, followed closely by X, performing his trademark suicidal rush. Liss steps forward to aid them, as JiEin locks his blade with Shard's, intercepting an attack on Ayame.

i "Liss, can you help them out? I'll help Ayame, Nova and Ji take on Shard."

"Got it." /i 

Sage and Nova begin blasting away at Shard with their respective firearms, taking care to avoid JiEin as he battles her at close range. Ayame backs away, firing a Zonde that stuns the possessed droid for a few seconds. By the time Shard recovers, Ayame has weakened her with Jellen and Zalure, and has rushed into the fray, drawing her Shiranui. JiEin watches in amazement as the newman displays a surprising proficiency with her new sword, pushing Shard back with a series of slashes that ends with a Raitonken through the chest, the sizzling Zonde-charged blade knocking the Hucaseal to the ground. Shard's new armor repairs the damage within seconds, and she springs to her feet, rushing at JiEin and Ayame again.

X leaps away from the sweeping beams of Kimiko's arm cannons, intercepting the flurry of miniature photon blasts she shoots at him with his katanas. Brom charges at the Racaseal, narrowly missing her as jets on her legs allow her to skate to the side, easily avoiding his S-Parts-less attacks. Liss extends a hand, her telekinetic grip immobilizing Kimiko as Brom's Doombringer rips a massive gash in her side. Brom yells with delight as he brings the sword down, eager to score yet another kill. A photonic shield erupts around Kimiko, the shockwave knocking Brom far away from her as she regains her footing, the Seraph cells grafted onto her mechanical body easily repairing the damage.

Liss catches Brom as he is launched into the air, guiding his frame gently to the floor. She repairs the burns and minor dents with Resta, then begins flinging slicer blades at the now-hovering Kimiko. X's attempt at Ryuenjin is dodged, and he catches a photon beam in the side on the way down.

He lands, rolling away as Kimiko's photon support weapons turn the ground he was standing on into a molten pit of slagged stone. He charges a Demon Roar and fires, the black halo striking Kimiko in the chest and nearly knocking her from the air. Before he can fire again, Liss is behind him, healing the long burn down his side with her powerful Resta.

"Thanks."

"No problem. We need to get her to ground somehow..."

Ayame and JiEin are busy blocking Shard's furious attack, the photon blades on her new gauntlets proving to be very effective weapons. Ayame takes a kick to the stomach and doubles over, stunned for a moment. Shard raises her weapon, but before the blow can descend it hits a telekinetic shield Sage creates over Ayame. He begins firing, but Shard's incredible speed allows her to easily dodge the shots.

Nova watches Shard's movements for a moment, then gets an idea. He grabs a capsule from a special container on his belt, bringing out a special black item box. He equips the glove inside, then throws the two orbs towards Shard, their miniature engines springing into life and suspending them off the ground. The orbs swoop forward, guided by Nova's glove, firing off bolts of blue photon energy as they swarm around Shard, moving too quickly for even her to track. He smiles, following her movements with a stream of Yasminkov fire, carefully aiming to herd her towards Ayame and JiEin.

As the Hucaseal draws closer, Ayame's level 50 Rabarta encases her in an icy prison, the icy lances shooting outward to impale her in several places, sticking her to one spot. JiEin takes his cue and his chest plate opens up, the Heat Blazer's turbine spinning rapidly as a dot of red light grows to the size of Ji's body. He unleashes the blast, the superheated beam of energy nailing Shard, creating large cracks in her chilled frame. Sage blasts a Megid at the Seraphs cells as they try to repair the damage, then finishes her off with a Nazonde blast that fries her internal circuits, causing her to explode. Her shattered, smoking husk falls forward, sparks shooting out in a cascade.

X glances over, seeing Shard's demise.

"How'd you coordinate that without talking about it...?" He asks, dodging another series of beams from Kimiko.

i "I am a telepath, you know. I communicated it to Ayame and Nova, and Ayame whispered it to JiEin while Shard was distracted. Need some help?" /i Sage replies, turning to watch X's aerial battle with Kimiko. X has manifested his wing, and is flying around, dodging the increasingly frantic android's blasts. Brom and Liss are off to the side, clearly planning something.

"Nah, we've got this." X says, nodding to Brom and Liss. X teleports forward in what appears to be another headlong suicide rush, causing Kimiko to fly to the side. As she does, Brom runs and leaps off the wall, coming down at her in a powerful diving slash, both his ascent and descent velocity boosted by Liss's telekinesis. He plows into her, shattering her main jets as she plummets to the ground. He stabs her through the torso, then withdraws the blade and bats her away. X warps towards her, sheathing his katanas as he charges a Shinkuu Majinken. Before the Seraph cells Kimiko has been fused with can repair her jets, X blasts her main power core with the spiraling ray of dark energy, causing a fatal overload. He finishes her off with a point-blank Demon Roar that litters her smoking fragments all over the room.

"Well, that was fun. What now?" Ayame asks as they regroup, heading deeper into the fortress.

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Striker falls to one knee, the photon blade of a Seraph jutting out of his side. He roars, pinning the blade arm between his arm and his side and standing, exerting enough force to snap the arm cleanly off at the joint. A gout of green ichor sprays out, coating his side. He draws his Yasminkov 7000V with his free hand, grabbing the Seraph by the face with the arm that was pinning the blade before lifting it and sending several shells through its torso, killing it. The weapon buried in his side disappears in a puff of smoke as the cells dissolve. He staggers for a moment, as Cranberry rushes towards him, batting Seraph weapons out of her way with the spinning blades of her Windmill. Black Raiden lays on the ground behind Striker, sparks shooting from a gaping hole in her chest plate. Her eyes are dim, her systems on emergency power only. Cran's Resta repairs the damage to Striker's side after a few castings, and the newman stumbles slightly as she attempts to muster up enough energy to cast Reverser. Striker catches her, steadying her.

"Cran, you alright?" Striker asks, a temporary lull in the battle giving them a much needed respite.

"Yes, just drained. What happened to Raiden? I went to go help some soldiers..."

"She took several hits from their Photon Cannons, trying to protect one of the medics." She managed to save him, but she shut down a bit afterwards.

Their talk is interrupted by the screeching of several more Seraphs leaping towards them. A line of flaming spheres appears, knocking several of the Seraphs to the ground in flames. Axios and Kiara rush over, Axios casting a Reverser on Black Raiden as Kiara viciously attacks one of the Seraphs. She strikes it a few times with her Kamuis, then channels technique energy to make two shadowy copies of herself that join her in Split- Image Slicing the creature to oblivion. Axios incinerates the final Seraph with a barrage of Foies, then turns to Striker and Cranberry.

"Having fun yet?"

Cran's reply is cut off as a dozen more Seraphs appear around them. She hears the slight hum of Black Raiden's Double Cannon springing to life as the battered Hucaseal gets to her feet. Sato snarls its rage, darting forward to maul the nearest Seraph, as the others take fighting stances. Axios reinforces the team's defenses with Shifta and Deband, as Cran pops a Trifluid.

"They are so going to pay for that. I just had my frame repainted a little while ago..." Black Raiden says, hissing with anger. Further comments are unnecessary, as the looming Seraph assault force leaps forward, weapons raised.

Lorna's ice barrier shatters as a horde of Seraphs unleash their photon cannons on it. She whips off her cloak, hurling it at the nearest Seraph, who gets tangled in its folds. Dashing forward at a full run, her soul-absorbing powers work overtime as she begins to slash her way through the crowd of Seraphs. Yokote follows behind, covering her back with the shining circles of his twin photon sabers.

"So, Lorna...how many more of these do you think there are?" Yokote asks, blocking a hit from either side as his gauntlet glows with absorbed energy. He dispatches the two attackers, then brings his sabers together, the hilts locking together into one, the blade combining and nearly tripling in size. He feeds it absorbed power from his new arm, then clears out a massive grouping of Seraphs with a multitude of savage attacks.

Lorna leans backwards, easily dodging a thrust from a Seraph. She reaches out one hand and grasps the creature on the shoulder, draining its soul. Within seconds, it disappears in a puff of smoke, drained of all energy. "Far too many. How are the others doing? I've managed to weaken most of them, though more and more keep coming. I'm having to eat their souls directly now just to continue being able to weaken the lot of them. I'm starting to get drained..." Lorna continues speaking as she freezes a few Seraphs, dispatching them with several blows from her lance.

Neifirst, Leah and Keiko are several hundred yards away. Neifirst's conduit abilities, backed up by Leah's Saint Guard and Keiko's bevy of powerful sword techniques, have managed to lay waste to many of their opponents with minimal damage to themselves. The last Seraph near them falls to a vicious combination attack from the three, each hitting it repeatedly as it is batted back and forth between them.

The trio looks over, seeing Lorna and Yokote cutting a swath through the sea of Seraphs. Further back, Neifirst spots the Dreamchasers and Cranberry's group repelling yet another assault.

"Well, our stupid human troops are being routed, but at least those weaklings are holding their own." Neifirst says as she fastidiously wipes Seraph goo off of her Meteor Cudgel.

Keiko looks up, for the first time seeing no more Seraphs in the sky. "Do you think that's the last of them...?"she asks, brushing an errant strand of hair out of her eyes.

"No, I don't think so. I can still feel them." Leah says, Elnoa floating softly behind her, glowing with stored PB energy.

Inside Zionus' citadel, the mad god can feel the power of the Rings drawing closer and closer, accompanied by the two conduits. He turns to Sigma, rage written clearly on his face.

b "Go, and assist the Seraph Army in crushing their defense force. Do not fail me again..."

"But master, I wish to fight the demon. He's the reason I failed. He's the reason I'm not whole. I must destroy him to..."

"Silence! You shall do as my will commands you to. Now GO!" /b Zionus screams, as a sulking Sigma teleports off, accompanied by the last of the Seraphs.

Zionus settles back on his throne, awaiting the arrival of his would-be killers.

A squad of Resistance soldiers makes their way towards the front lines, charging to help defend the base. They make it about halfway there when an Angelic Scream obliterates them. Sigma appears over the battlefield, glowing like a beacon. He is accompanied by a swarm of Seraphs nearly triple the size of all the Seraphs that have previously attacked.

b "Those who resist the master's will shall DIE!" /b He says, unleashing a barrage of energy blasts. His attendant Seraphs swoop down, joining their brethren in the assault.

"This isn't good..." Leah says, as Neifirst gets a look of pure rage in her eyes. She grips her Meteor Cudgel til the handle nearly cracks, her knuckles going white.

"I may not be able to kill the brat...but I can damn sure kill someone who looks like him." She takes off at a dead spring towards the recently-landed Sigma, murder written plainly on her face. Keiko and Leah rush after her, struggling to keep up.

Sage heads through a winding hallway, feeling a strong power grow ever closer. At last, he stands in front of an ornate door, unmoving. The others come up behind him, wondering why he stopped.

"There is an incredibly large energy reading past this door. This is likely to be the fleshling we have come to dispatch. I will enjoy watching him scream." Brom says cheerfully.

"Yeah...that's him." Nova says, reloading and checking his Yasminkovs.

"This shouldn't be that hard. We go in, blast the hell out of him and go home." X says grimly.

"I...don't think a headlong rush would be advisable in this case, X." Sage says, a worried look coming over his face.

"Since when is a headlong rush not a great idea?" X replies.

"Since we're facing someone who can likely decimate us in fairly short order if we aren't careful." JiEin says. "Sage brings up a novel point. We should have a plan."

"Blasphemy!" X looks indignant for a few moments, then remembers all the havoc Zionus has caused.

"Well, the Rings will defend us against his worst attacks. We just need to stay alive, keep moving and try to drain his energy." Lissandra says after a period of silence. "X, Ayame...if you two use your conduit powers, you can distract him while we launch a concentrated assault. "

Sage, seeing where she's going with this, continues. "After we've done enough damage, his rage will likely focus on us, giving you two your chance. If we can keep him from focusing his attention on one group for too long, the other group can attack indiscriminately until we've drained him sufficiently enough for the killing strike."

"We're going to make him bounce back and forth between us?" Ayame asks.

"Yeah, that's crazy enough to work. He really, really hates me, so he'll likely expend a lot of energy trying to kill me. I've been able to withstand it before..." X says, grinning.

"And with Sage and I telekinetically shielding you, you can hold out nearly indefinitely." Lissandra finishes.

"Sounds like a solid plan." Nova remarks, readying one of his black and red ARMS capsules and placing it on his belt for easy access. The fleshies in the group all take deep breaths to prepare themselves, as Sage opens a mind link between them.

i This feels funny. /i X thinks.

i "Yeah, that goes away after a bit. Don't worry about it. The relay will allow us to communicate more quickly if we need to, though verbal communication may work well also." /i 

"Alright then. Is everyone ready?" Sage asks, looking at each of the group members in turn as they nod or otherwise acknowledge him. Ayame refreshes the group's Shifta and Deband as Liss activates a low-level shielding on all of them. Buffed and ready to go, Sage nods to JiEin, who opens the door and steps through, his sword at the ready. The group quickly follows behind him, fanning out rapidly. They see a vast throne room with a vaulted ceiling, a long red carpet trailing off into the distance. At the end, a glowing figure sets on a white marble throne.

b "So...you've finally come to your demise." /b Zionus says lazily, rising to his feet.

"You'll pay for all the harm you've caused, Zionus. Your twisting of the power you stole ends here!" Sage says, his eyes alight with fury.

"You've stolen power from the wrong deity. You will pay for your transgressions..." Liss says simply, drawing an Inferno Bazooka from a capsule within her robes.

"I'm not going to let you hurt anyone else. You're a horrible person, and we're going to stop you!" Ayame yells, bouncing lightly on her feet in excitement.

"Impudent flesh-sack...do you not realize that the androids are the true masters of this world? We shall rise up and overthrow your oppression, and create a utopia of logic and steel!" Brom says, his voice rising with each word. Seeing sidelong glances from the human members of his party, he continues speaking. "I mean...prepare to get a nice long look at your soon to be external organs." i I'm a genius. They'll never see it coming. Then the revolution shall begin! /i 

JiEin steps forward, raising his sword above his head. "Though I never thought I'd hear myself saying this...I agree with Brom." Seeing X's glare, JiEin continues. "About the 'killing you' part, not the 'rise above our human oppressors' part. My 'human oppressors' keep my restaurant running and my internal workings maintained."

Nova simply smiles, raising his Yasminkovs. "You're just like every other petty tyrant. Only you have a nice glowing trail behind you, and a lot more ego. Let's see how you like hot Yasminkov death."

Watching his fellow party members make their end-game monologues, X smiles in approval. "Well, with a group this big, we've used up most variations of 'we're about to kick your ass'. So, for the sake of originality... I'll go with this. You suck. No one likes you, and you smell funny. We're going to do you a favor by ending your pathetic mockery of life here and now." X's hands drop to his sides as he manifests his conduit, black lines of lightning rushing up and down his body as a black wing sprouts from his back. He starts the fray by drawing his katanas and unleashing a pair of Demon Roars, the twin black haloes impacting a barrier as Zionus raises his hand.

b "Talk...talk...talk. That's all you're good at, X. You are so irrepressibly full of yourself. Even when killing my mortal body, you didn't give me the dignity of a silent death. For that humiliation, you die!" /b Zionus' first attack rips through the room, a beam of killing light fired from two hands that is easily dodged.

Ayame looks on in fear for a moment, then sighs deeply, staring at her hands. As she looks back up, she watches X begin wailing on Zionus. Inspired by her uncle's bravery, she calms her mind and calls upon the power of darkness within her. Bolts of lightning flicker up and down her body for a few moments, growing in intensity. She leans slightly forward, a dark whirlpool of energy growing beneath her. With a loud cry, she throws her head back and screams, the walls of the citadel shaking slightly as she manifests her conduit in a real battle, for the first time doing it without X's coaching. She rises aloft, crackling with energy, and darts forward to join X in the attack.

Neifirst rushes at Sigma, her weapon flaring with dark power as she strikes, a vicious leaping attack that would have flattened a normal opponent. She is shocked as he simple extends a hand, grabs her Meteor Cudgel and slams her to the ground behind him. She rolls away quickly, glaring at him.

b "So...you must be Neifirst. It's pitiful that such a beauty has to die so young..." /b Sigma says, firing a powerful beam of energy at Neifirst. The beam impacts the purple barrier of a Saint Guard as Leah and Keiko reach Nei's side.

"So, you're the clone of X. I feel sorry for whoever made you. You're not nearly as cute as him." Leah says.

b "I am far superior to that simpering buffoon!" /b Sigma screams, clearly in a rage.

"It's the hair. It throws the entire look off. I'd fire whoever did that cheap dye job..." Keiko says, grinning.

b "DIE!" /b Sigma fires off another blast of energy, eschewing the destructive force of an Angelic Scream for a simple beam of pure killing light. Leah deflects it with another Saint Guard, hearing Elnoa chime behind her as it reaches its full PB capacity.

"Nei...remember all those times you've wanted to kill X?"

"Yes." Nei says darkly.

"Now's your chance. Just envision Sigma with dark hair." Keiko says. " I know it's tough with that atrocious dye job, but you can try."

Neifirst grins evilly. "Leah, remember all those times he grabbed my ass?"

"Or the times he'd try to sneak a peek at us." Keiko chimes in.

"Or the times he was simply an irritating brat..." Leah says, now smiling as well. "This may be the best stress relief ever..." The trio of newmen charge the clone of X, attacking furiously. Sigma draws a sword made of light, deflecting Keiko and Leah's swords, though Neifirst's Meteor Cudgel manages to sneak past his guard, delivering a solid blow to the back of his head. He staggers, before releasing a wave of power that pushes them all back. Before he can recover, they are on him again, attacking with a surprising amount of rage.

Sigma battles back, though the three on one odds soon leave him winded and battered. He takes a stab from Keiko in the shoulder, and cries out, blood welling from the wound. Leah steps in to finish the job, raising her sword high above her head, but is blasted back by a series of Angelic Screams that impact solidly against her Saint Guard. Sigma bashes Keiko in the face with a backhand, then slashes Neifirst along the side, knocking her away.

He rises into the air, a single white wing bursting from his back. He transforms, then smiles grimly. He makes an attempt to draw power from Zionus, but frowns when it is blocked. b i He's blocked me...very well. I shall draw from other sources. /i /b 

Cranberry incinerates a line of Seraphs with Gifoie, though more surge past the swirling spheres of flame. She sends a Megid at one in desperation, hitting it and knocking it reeling. Striker's follow-up shot blows it to bits.

"Hmm...darkness based attacks can lower their defenses, even if not strong enough to kill them."

Axios and Cranberry begin chain-casting Megid, allowing Striker, Black Raiden and Kiara to push back wave after wave of Seraphs. The creatures flood towards them in a wave as their stock of Fluids begin to run dry.

Yokote skewers yet another Seraph with one of his sabers, then brings the other around to cleave the creature in two. Lorna casts a Gibarta storm at the three behind him, freezing them to the spot before dispatching them with her lance. As she turns, she is suddenly leapt upon by fifteen of the creatures, and goes down under a pile of screeching monsters. Yokote curses, rushing forward. Before he can get to her, however, a large portion of the Seraphs begin to dissolve, their bodies forming orbs of greenish white light that shoot towards the glowing figure of Sigma in the distance. Yokote takes out the last two Seraphs attacking Lorna and helps her to her feet.

"He's sacrificing their souls to gain power. He truly is a monster..." Lorna says, brushing sweat-soaked hair out of her eyes. With the absorption of a large portion of the Seraph army into Sigma, the field around them clears for a moment, though a vast amount of the creatures appears on the horizon before them.

"Oh dear...this is their final wave. They're trying to crush us outright..." Lorna says grimly.

"We should join up with the others. I don't know if Alis can sustain the barrier against that kind of assault." Lorna and Yokote make their way over the oddly empty battlefield, joining Cranberry, Striker, Black Raiden, Axios and Kiara. A ring of Seraph bloodstains surrounds them, though they are much the worse for wear.

Axios is sitting on the ground, holding a bandage over Kiara's torso. He repeatedly attempts to cast Resta, though it is obvious he is completely drained.

Striker kneels on the ground, massive gouges and dents lining his frame. One arm lies detached beside him, as he crouches in a power-down mode. Cranberry nurses a broken arm, her body covered with cuts and bruises. Sato hovers dejectedly beside her, cracks lining its frame. One eyespot is dented in, giving it the appearance of a black eye. Black Raiden is the sole member of the group standing, though she herself is wobbling like her servomotors are misaligned.

"You've done well." Lorna says, walking over to them. She refreshes them with a powerful Resta, though her inability to fully heal them shows how drained she is. She stumbles, nearly falling, though catches herself by grasping her lance and leaning on it. Yokote follows her over, his sabers out, watching warily as Sigma begins to battle the trio of newmen in the distance. The Landale lands beside them, Labyrinth and Lucca emerging from it. The ship takes off, heading to the base. Stretchers filled with wounded bodies lie inside. Labryinth holds his shoulder as he walks; his frame is marred with countless dents and gouges, and Lucca has a pronounced limp, a bloodstained bandage wrapped around her head.

"How's the battle going on the other fronts?" Yokote asks.

"We've managed to push them back, though Alis is showing severe signs of strain. How are things here?"

"Sigma just absorbed a large portion of his army, and the rest are waiting for something, it seems." Lorna says wearily. "We can't hold out for much longer."

"The troops have been reorganized, and those still capable of fighting are to meet on this front shortly. We can hold them here for a while, but we are too drained to push them back again." Labyrinth replies. "Hopefully Sage's group will hurry."

The hearts of those assembled sink slightly as the crowd of Seraphs across the field begins to grow.

Leah brings up her most powerful Saint Guard, deflecting the brunt of Sigma's powerful attack, though blocking it takes nearly all the PB energy Elnoa has stored. She leans on her sword, gasping for breath. Keiko and Neifirst are in a similar state, as Sigma begins to laugh.

b "Not so powerful now, are you? Your end will be swift." /b Sigma says, taking to the air as he charges another Angelic Symphony.

Nei drags herself to her feet, putting away her Meteor Cudgel. "No...not today. I think I finally realize something. The brat was right...fighting to protect someone does give you a bit more reason to fight." Nei steps in front of Leah and Keiko, surprising them greatly. Neifirst smiles grimly, then holds out her hands. She crosses them over her chest, a swirl of technique energy surrounding her. Leah feels a familiar stirring, and gasps.

"Nei, no...don't do it. Your body can't take that kind of stress!" Leah cries.

"If the brat can handle it...so can I."

Neifirst screams in agony as her mental passageways are ripped open, feeling a horrible draining as the energy of darkness swirls around her. She persists, pushing her body to its utmost limits, feeling the power respond to her call. Every second is agony, though at last she manages to fully open her link to the Darkness.

She falls forward slightly, then rises into the air, her eyes going entirely black for a moment as yet another crack is opened in Darkness's prison. A ring of purple lightning radiates outward from her body as her back arches. A small wing emerges from her back, though unlike X's it is similar in appearance to a bat's wing. A dark purple chitinous armor appears over her body, her left arm wreathed in more of the armor. She screams as three claws burst from her closed fist. She rises higher into the air, her body wreathed in a constant shadowy mist.

"This...power. This incredible power! No wonder that weakling was always able to beat me. Let's test it out..."

Neifirst flies towards Sigma, straining as she charges a Demon Roar.

X launches himself at Zionus, his swords and wing all igniting as he launches a Ryuenjin: Gou. Zionus is struck by the flaming blades and knocked into a far wall. He rebounds off, extinguishing the flames by erecting a powerful shield that cuts off the oxygen to them. He dispels the shield a second later and begins tracking X with a barrage of energy bolts, so angered that his attention is only on the flying hunter.

He find this is a grave mistake a second later, as he is blasted to the ground by a powerful Demon Roar from Ayame, the dark halo of energy shoving him to the floor before exploding. He snarls in rage as he takes to the air again, now aiming attacks at both X and Ayame. X effortlessly dodges, flying in a weaving, graceful arc over Zionus. Ayame is not so lucky, flying too fast and nearly hitting a wall, still unsure of her abilities. Zionus takes advantage of her momentary hesitation, and nails her with a searing beam of light that blasts her to the ground, her body consumed with white flame.

"Aaaahh!" she screams, falling to the ground in a heap, unconscious. X dives towards her, readying a Resta, hoping to intercept Zionus' inevitable finishng blow. He turns to see a red streak of energy fly towards Zionus as JiEin unleashes his Heat Blazer on the tyrant's back. His resistance weakened by the Rings, Zionus is barely able to avoid being cooked, and sustains minor burns even through the shield he brings up.

**"Fools! You think such a weak attack shall harm me?"** Zionus begins ranting as Lissandra sprints over to Ayame and casts Reverser, then Resta. Ayame slowly sits up, shaking her head to clear it.

"Thanks, Ms. Liss."

Lissandra smiles. "No problem. We need to get moving though."

While Ayame is being revived, Sage, Nova, Brom and JiEin are attacking Zionus furiously. Nova starts the assault off by blasting away with his Yasminkov's, easily tracking Zionus around the room despite Zionus' rapid warping. The bullets hit his shield, doing no physical damage but acting as an ample distraction. Zionus charges energy for a powerful blast, aiming at Nova, but before he can get the shot off he is nailed in the back by a flying chunk of wall that knocks him to the ground. Sage extends a hand, telekinetically pummeling Zionus with more debris knocked loose by Zionus' attacks.

**"Die!"** Zionus snarls, getting to his feet. His further ranting is interrupted by Brom and JiEin lunging forward, attacking him simultaneously with their modified version of the X Strike. The two Hucast's blades cut deep, easily penetrating his weakened barrier. As he recoils in agony, he is hit with a powerful diving stab from X, who channels dark energy into his blades. Zionus slumps forward, struggling to heal his wounds.

"Well, this is a shock. You aren't babbling anymore. Want us to finish you off now?" X taunts, hovering slightly above Zionus.

Zionus' feigned weakness was simply a ruse, as he unleashes a devastating blast of energy that launches JiEin and Brom into opposite walls, their metallic bodies rebounding off with loud clangs. He turns his gaze up to X, leering in triumph.

**"Your feeble mechanical weapons are no match for me, X. And neither...are...you!"** Zionus punctuates his attack with an enormous beam of white energy that hits X solidly in the chest, catching him off guard and pinning him against the ceiling as it saps his energy.

_He's stronger than we thought...and it seems like he's growing in strength as the battle goes on._ Sage thinks, watching X's unmoving body fall to the ground. JiEin stirs in the corner, slumped against the wall.

_"Liss, can you get in range for a Reverser on X and Brom? I think JiEin's still kicking."_

"I can try. Can you and Nova cover me? Ayame's up and moving again, though she seems a bit in shock at what just happened to X."

"We've got you covered. Go!" Sage says, casting Grants at a spot in front of him, then sending a Megid at it and containing the opposing energies in a telekinetic shield, preparing to cast Legeon.

_"Nova, can you keep Zionus distracted til this goes off?"_

Sure. I have just the thing...

Liss sprints toward X and Brom as Zionus finally notices the rapidly growing blue orb in front of Sage.

**"Legeon. How amusing. You think that will be able to harm me, fool?"** Zionus darts forward, readying a killing blast of energy. He barely slows down as he sees Nova leaping into the air, a trail of jet fire coming from a weapon he's holding. Zionus discounts this, aiming straight for Sage. This is soon proven to be a very big mistake, as Nova's ARMS Bazooka unleashes a massive rocket that streaks towards Zionus before consuming him in a fiery blast. The blast wave from the massive explosion nails him from behind, dropping him from flight and directly into Legeon, which explodes shortly afterwards. Caught in the seething maelstrom of conflicting energy, Zionus cries out in rage and pain, unable to escape until the massive chain reaction is finished. By the time he takes to the air again, Liss has revived and recovered X, Brom and JiEin.

The team combines their efforts and attacks again, pummeling Zionus with everything they have as he floats back up to his usual altitude. His body is giving off wisps of smoke, and for the first time his clothing and body are scorched and burned, tiny tears apparent in his garb. The wounds are not immediately healed, and though he quickly casts Resta, a greenish ichor still seeps from several wounds.

Neifirst delivers a series of punches to Sigma's torso, her clawed fist causing considerable damage. She kicks him in the face, then swoops up and hammers him to the ground with a devastating two-fisted strike. He hits hard, rolling and getting to his feet, blood streaming from the corner of his mouth.

**"You'll pay for that."** Sigma absorbs more power from a group of nearby Seraphs, causing them to vaporize, their energy making him stronger and stronger. He begins to grow in size, his muscles and overall frame becoming larger. His hair fuzzes out like a waterlogged rat as the pair of white feathered wings on his back double in size.

Neifirst throws a Demon Roar at him, covering her assault as she rushes in. Her punches and kick are subsequently blocked, Sigma retaliating with a vicious kick to the face that is too fast for her to dodge. She reels back, stars swimming across her field of vision. _He just got a hell of a lot stronger. This isn't good..._ Neifirst's body is pummeled by several powerful hits, Sigma moving like a blur of light as he attacks her.

She throws her hands up as he aims another punch at her, blocking it and grabbing his hand. She twists it to the side and flies slightly back, pulling on him to give more momentum to the knee she sends into his torso. It feels like kneeing a solid steel wall, and she cries out in pain as he twists his arm away and fires an Angelic Scream at her face, the explosive force of the white halo sending her hurtling towards the ground. A torrent of miniature white haloes follow, impacting into a rising group of explosions that leaves a large crater around her still form. She lays there for a few moments, hovering on the edge of awareness. She opens one swollen eye as Sigma swoops down, and struggles to her feet, her body aching all over.

**"It's been fun, but you are no match for me. With the power of the Seraphs, I shall end your life!"** Sigma grabs her by the throat and lifts her into the air, her wing fading as she finally runs out of technique energy. Sigma grins evilly, then summons his sword of light and puts the tip at her heart, preparing to run her through. She writhes feebly, glaring in hatred as she tries in vain to break his iron grip.

Sigma smiles again, gazing at Neifirst's hate filled face. The half of him that is still somewhat connected to X kicks in, and his gaze strays downward, causing Neifirst to struggle more violently, wasting what little breath she can get in feeble curses. As he brings his hand back for the killing strike, he is distracted by a voice coming from behind him.

"Hey Sigma, catch!" Keiko says, throwing something. Sigma feels a sharp stabbing pain in his back, and drops Neifirst, reaching down to withdraw the Bloody Art dagger from his back. He grimaces, allowing the power flowing through him to heal the wound.

He turns in time to see Keiko standing in a battle stance, her sword sheathed at her side. She draws it rapidly, pointing at the ground as sparks of purple lightning crackle around it. The sparks rapidly grow into a powerful magnetic field that draws the Bloody Art to her, Sigma still holding it. She rushes forward, bringing Muramasa down in a powerful strike that bashes Sigma in the chest, breaking ribs even through his constant low-level barrier.

"Hissastsu: Juuhazan!" Keiko cries as her attack connects, bringing Sigma to his knees. Leah rushes over to Nei while Keiko dodges his angry counter-attacks, the newman girl switching to her cat form for more agility. Leah uses a Moon Atomizer on her friend, then frowns as she takes in her depleted item stock. _One Trimate left. Those Seraphs are vicious..._

Nei slowly sits up with the help of Leah, though her body is trembling all over from exertion. "I...really hate this guy. Moreso than the brat. And that's saying a lot." Nei croaks feebly, supported by Leah.

"Yeah. I can only hope they hurry and kill Zionus. We're no match for hi- oh no, Keiko!" Leah yells, turning to see Sigma send his sword through Keiko's stomach. She sprints over as Sigma raises his weapon for the finishing blow, Keiko sprawled on the ground below him.

Sigma's blade descends, hitting Flamberge on the way down. Leah blocks his attack with one hand, casting Resta on Keiko. The bleeding stops, though the newman is still pale and unmoving. Leah is shoved away, her off-balance stance allowing her to easily be batted around by Sigma. She recovers before hitting the ground, grasping Flamberge with a two-handed grip.

**"Ah...so you must be Leah. The demon's woman. I must admit, he has good taste in skanks. It will be a great pleasure to rip your life from your body."** Sigma yells, rushing at Leah, who is hard pressed to block his super-charged attacks. She manages to keep from being immediately killed, though not without taking several minor wounds in the process. With one last collision, the two swords meet, Sigma shoving her to the ground. His follow-up attack is blocked by a Saint Guard, as Leah scrambles to her feet, breathing heavily.

"You're nothing compared to X..." she says, looking defiant even though her knees are clearly wobbling.

**"I am the strongest. I am the superior one, and I will prove it with your death... I hope he sees your broken body before I send him to hell!"**Sigma launches himself at Leah, redoubling his attacks.

The defense force is hemmed in on all sides by the last wave of Seraphs, standing back to back as the creatures form a ring around them.

"Well, looks like this may be the end. Unless Sage and the others kill Zionus soon, we may not be here to see their victory." Axios says, readying his Rokujou.

"Relax. All we have to do is push this last wave back..." Yokote says confidently, brandishing his twin sabers.

"Too bad this last wave is the size of all the others combined..." Lucca replies darkly, as the swirling crowd of Seraphs lurks closer and closer.

Cranberry stands, having tried in vain to recover her technique energy by resting. "This is it. I've got nearly nothing left after this..." She casts Shifta and Deband, then puts away her Windmill and draws a flickering green Double Saber.

"I've drained them as much as I can, but without a few to fully absorb all I'm good for is melee at this point. Sorry everyone." Lorna replenishes her ice armor and readies her spear.

"Here they come!" Striker starts the battle with a blast from his Baranz Launcher, quickly burning through his last few shells.

X's body begins to radiate a dark, flaming aura of pure energy. He sheathes Orotiagito and Yasha at his sides, then brings his hands up, both crackling with black bolts of lightning. He bends double for a second, then emits a flash of energy as another wing bursts from his back, initiating his Stage 2 transformation. The citadel shakes at the amount of energy released, chips of stone and rubble rising into the air on the currents of power he's emitting. He rises into the air, glowing with power as his body is easily held aloft by a swirling maelstrom of energy. He gazes at Zionus for a long moment, then traces a circular path in front of him with his hands, the outline of a large circle traced in front of him with dark power.

i Sage...please put up a really, really strong telekinetic shield around everyone. I'm ending this now. /i Sage agrees, the others rushing over to him, away from Zionus. He brings up the shield, Liss reinforcing it with her own powers. Holding the shield as X charges his attack, Sage takes a second to scan the minds of the defense force. His heart sinks as he feels their fear and pain.

"X...we have a problem. Sigma's demolishing the defense force."

"I'll handle it. I'm just going to kill Zionus first." X says coldly, the massive black orb in front of him growing rapidly in size.

b "You think that can kill me? I've seen your attacks before, X. The Hyper Demon Roar is not nearly strong enough to finish me off... Besides. You wouldn't dare use enough power to destroy me with your friends this close." /b Zionus says, holding out a hand and preparing a barrier.

"Right. You keep thinking that..." X smirks, the attack growing larger and larger. The orb forms into a ring, the center gravitating to the sides as it transforms. X stops charging it, holding the attack in check as he draws the Orotiagito and swings it through the demonic halo, the energy shooting to the blade. The Hyper Demon Roar becomes an orb at the tip of X's sword, dark pulses of energy rushing up and down the blade. X grins as his sudden flash of inspiration proves to work quite well, the Orotioagito making an excellent channel for the dark energy.

i Amazing. He's channeling the power through his sword to avoid collateral damage, and concentrate more force on a smaller area. This should be interesting to see... /i JiEin thinks, as the aura around both X and his fiercely glowing blade becomes brighter and brighter.

"You've inspired me to make a new attack. You'll hear the name yelled out as you die. Hope you enjoy!" With this, X brings Orotiagito down to his side, lowering into a crouch as he darts forward, his wings propelling him at a high velocity. As Zionus fires a powerful energy blast to try and stop him, X warps behind him and unleashes the attack.

b "Majin Shinrengoku Aizan!" /b X yells, starting the complicatedly-named attack off with a rising slash that consumes Zionus in dark flame, breaking through his barrier. X assaults him with a long barrage of furious sword slashes, warping around so quickly that only the shockwaves of impact can be seen as he vents all his rage and frustration on the being that caused him such agony. Zionus is helpless to block, and is caught in the flurry of attacks, taking several hits per second. He reels in shock as X savages him, being hit from all sides, entirely unable to cope.

After thirty seconds or so of vicious attacks, X stabs him through the chest, lunging forward with the tip of the blade and sending both it and the rapidly growing Hyper Demon Roar orb into his body. X withdraws Orotiagito with a flourish, then backs away and fires a miniature Demon Roar through the wound in Zionus' chest, which ignites the much larger attack pulsing within him. The two attacks meet, culminating in a massive explosion that rips outward from Zionus' body, consuming him with dark flame as a dome-shaped blast wave of black energy rises up around him. When the glare finally fades, Zionus lies still and unmoving in the middle of a five-foot deep crater that used to be his throne. X powers down from his stage 2 form and pops a Trifluid, then swoops over to the group as Sage lowers his barrier.

""What's that mean X?" Sage asks, looking puzzled.

"What's what mean?" X asks, rather embarrassed.

"The string of syllables you screamed right before you started attacking." Brom says. "You fleshies are so inefficient, telegraphing all your attacks..."

"...I'd rather not say." X mumbles in reply.

"What! Why not?" Ayame says, bouncing up and down in excitement..

"It was a spur of the moment thing. It's embarrassing now." X replies sheepishly.

"C'mon, tell us!" Liss chimes in.

"...Demonic Loving Slash of Purgatory." X whispers, making sure that the others are unable to hear. When they glare, he sighs in exasperation and repeats a bit louder.

"Leah made that one in advance for you, huh?" Sage says, smiling.

"...Shut up Sage. Least I'm not whipped." X replies

"...Yes you are." JiEin looks over to where Zionus lies unmoving.

"...Dammit."

"Anyway, it's looking like he's nearly finished. We can handle whatever's left. Go take out Sigma." Sage says after a few moments.

"You sure?"

"You're the only one of us who can take him on alone. Zionus won't be a problem." JiEin readies his sword and turns to Zionus' still body.

X blasts a hole in the wall of the Citadel, then flies off. Sage links to Leah's mind, and he can feel the growing desperation in her thoughts.

i "Leah, X is on his way to help. We've nearly finished Zionus as well."

Leah blocks another attack from Sigma with a Saint Guard, using the last of her energy. i Alright. Good luck. /i 

i Leah, I'm on my way. Please hang on... /i X thinks, pouring more conduit energy into his flight as he streaks rapidly towards the Resistance base.

Lorna imprisons several of the charging Seraphs in a cage of ice, trying to buy time. As she does so, she feels her technique reserves completely empty. Sighing, she grips her lance and turns back to dispatch the attackers behind her, knowing full well that the ice barrier will not hold for long. The other members of the defense force crowd around her, trying to cover each other's backs, many of them wounded; all of them nearly spent.

The group of Seraphs that is currently menacing them are taken out in fairly short order, the team managing to cover each other's backs easily despite their exhaustion. As one last Seraph lurches forward, it is consumed in a flash of dark energy, a winged shadow swooping overhead. The Seraphs imprisoned within the cage suffer the same fate, dying instantaneously. X doesn't even slow down as he heads straight for Sigma.

Sigma raises his blade in triumph, Leah's defenseless body lying at his feet. She feebly reaches out for the hilt of Flamberge, but his foot intercepts her hand, smashing it to the ground before delivering a vicious kick to the ribs that rolls her onto her back. He smiles eerily, reversing his grip on the shining sword he holds, readying a downward stab. The path of his blade is interrupted by a hurtling flash of steel that rips a gash in his torso. Seconds later, he is lifted into the air by X, who flies high into the air, holding Sigma impaled on his blades. He hurls him to the ground, then fires a Demon Roar that leaves the clone reeling. X lowers himself gracefully, leaning down to gently lift Leah in his arms. She stirs slightly, then smiles.

"X...you made it." Her voice is the faint whisper of utter exhaustion.

"Yeah. I'll handle him. How are the others?" X flies over to where the main group of the defense force sits, recovering.

"Thanks for the help, X." Cranberry says, rising slowly to her feet with the aid of Striker's outstretched arm.

"No problem. I've taken care of most of the Seraphs left alive. Now to finish off Sigma..." X's face sets into a hard line as he says this. "Ah, better grab Keiko and Nei..." He warps over, retrieving the unconscious bodies of his two friends and depositing them next to the group. He hands Lorna a Trifluid, after the customary staring at her chest.

"Think you can get everyone patched up?"

"Yes. How goes the battle with Zionus?" Lorna asks, the contents of the capsule greatly easing the pounding in her head.

"Fairly well. It'll be interesting to see if I can kill Sigma before Sage finishes off Zionus. Anyway, see ya." X takes to the air, streaking towards Sigma. Lorna begins healing the myriad wounds of her teammates, humming softly to herself as she works. i An interesting development. But I hope Zionus isn't planning something... /i 

Sigma staggers to his feet, the absorbed power from the Seraphs repairing the gaping wounds caused by X's blades. He screams in rage as he sees X appear over the horizon, hovering on one wing.

b "I've wanted to do this for a long time, X. Now, I shall kill you and take my rightful place as the most powerful being in the world!" /b 

"Yeah, right...you do that. While you're at it, get someone to fix that atrocious dye job." X grins, drawing his katanas.

b "Is that all you can talk about, you fool? My hair is irrelevant when I'm about to destro-" /b Sigma's boast is cut off by a swift kick to the chin from X.

"You talk way too much. Seriously. At least my pre-combat boasts are amusing. Yours just...suck. Besides, if you're going to spout off about how you're going to destroy everyone, you need to actually be able to back it up. That's the difference between your arrogance and my confidence. I don't need to rant about how I'm going to beat you, because I don't have to talk myself into having the courage to do it. Besides...you've managed to do what I thought was impossible."

b "What are you babbling about!" /b Sigma snarls.

X chuckles softly to himself before continuing. "You were cloned from me, meaning you started out with the sexiest template in the world. But you've managed to make it so ugly that even its natural effect on catgirls is cancelled out. That's...really sad. You've proven that a horrible personality can cancel out the greatest of looks. I thought it was just the cruddy dye job, but it turns out that the whole leering, snarling b 'I'll kill you all and destroy your corpses' /b thing gets really old. You're like Zero, only with ugly hair, a worse attitude and no fashion sense. I'll be doing the world a favor by ridding you from its sight." X relaxes into a loose stance, grinning at Sigma.

b "DIE!" /b Sigma charges forward. X steps aside lazily, then shoots his foot out, catching his clone in the stomach and doubling him over. As he lurches forward, the wind knocked out of him, X grabs him and teleports the both of them out in a wisp of dark power.

They rematerialize near Ragol's north pole, surrounded by ice floes all around. Sigma staggers away as X releases him, still disoriented from the transportation. b "What do you think you're doing!" /b 

"Simple, really. You're the type of sick bastard that would target my weakened friends. I'm still at full power, and with us out in the middle of nowhere like this, I don't have to worry about holding back. Now, you ready?" X rises into the air, assuming his Stage 2 form as the second wing shoots from his back.

b "I shall enjoy watching your life pour from your body." /b Sigma releases all the stolen power he absorbed from the Seraphs, his body glowing with a bright light as two wings appear on his back. He draws Tenretsujin and stares at X over the glowing blade. The two circle each other in mid-air for a few moments, then move as one, colliding in a flurry of crossed blades.

Sage steps forward, drawing his Yasminkovs as he nears the crater. JiEin and Brom follow behind, the others raising their weapons as well. "He still hasn't moved...something's wrong." Sage puts out a hand to stop Ji and Brom as they continue forward, the telekinetic shield he brings up narrowly shielding them from Zionus' opening salvo.

Zionus rises from the crater, glowing with stored energy. Other than the large hole in the upper part of his robe, and the faintly glowing stains of his blood, he looks unharmed. He begins laughing as the group starts to pound away at him.

b "Fools! Behold my true power, and tremble." /b Zionus raises his hand, faintly glowing arcane symbols appearing around each member of the group. Sage's telepathic senses go off in alarm as he senses the power Zionus is pouring into this attack.

"You absorbed the power from X's attack, and feigned weakness until he left." Sage says, comprehension dawning on his face as he struggles to break the barrier.

b "Precisely. And none of you realized it. Now, you shall pay for your foolishness with your lives!" /b 

Sage yells a warning, straining to shield his friends as Zionus charges energy around the symbols. Zionus unleashes his attack, blasts of white energy shooting up from the symbols, juggling the hapless party members in the air as they are unable to break free. When the attack ends, only Sage, Brom and Ayame are left conscious. Ayame was shielded by Sage's last second telekinetic barrier. Brom's Psycho Wand kicked in at the last second, diverting most of the blast, and Lutz intervened to shield Sage.

i Damn. I couldn't get a strong enough barrier around anyone but Ayame. This isn't good... /i Though the Rings had blocked the killing effects of the blast, the entire team is pretty much knocked out. Sage stumbles to his feet, struggling to clear his mind enough to cast Reverser on Lissandra. He is knocked flying by Zionus' follow up attack, and lies still and unmoving. Brom kneels in the corner, having taken enough damage that his systems are hovering on the edge of complete shutdown. The Psycho Wand embedded in his chest gives off a faint glow, casting a low-level Resta apparently under its own free will.

Ayame is the only one completely unharmed; Sage's fast thinking shielding her. In her untransformed state, the force of the blast would have killed her without a ring. She cowers, a wave of fear washing over her. i He just wiped everyone out. I can try to Reverser them, but...he'll kill me. I don't know what to do! /i Something calls to her from the back of her mind, and she hears her alter-ego's voice in her head.

i Dammit, stop crying! You aren't a little kid anymore. Get out there and help your teammates, or back down and let me finish this guy off! /i Danielle snarls.

i But...I'm scared. Uncle left, and all the others are out cold...

You won't always be able to rely on others to protect you. Dammit girl, you have to grow up sometime! Now would be preferable...

A-alright. I'll try. /i Ayame gets to her feet, calming herself as Zionus floats closer. Her brave front is shattered as he fires an energy blast that she barely dodges. He begins stalking her around the room, laughing as she is paralyzed with fear.

b "Hahahaha! Where's your brave talk now, girl? Without your pathetic uncle to do everything for you, you're nothing!" /b Each attempt Ayame makes at a Reverser is cut off by an energy blast from Zionus that forces her to back away. At last, Danielle's self control snaps.

i Kid...you're getting us killed out there. For the first, last, and only time...I'm going to ask nicely. Please let me take over. Or get us both killed.

Please help me. I don't care if you have to take over. I can't do this alone... /i 

Danielle's snarl of contempt is clearly heard echoing in Ayame's mind. i You don't get it, do you. I'm not really stronger than you, or anything. I'm simply a lot bitchier. I take the abilities we share and actually use them. That's what you need to learn to do. Anyway...here's a crash course. Please try to keep up. /i 

Ayame sags backwards for a second as she relinquishes control of her body over to Danielle. A fountain of dark purple energy obscures her form of a moment, fading as the familiar red-haired form of Danielle steps forward. She smiles evilly, then unleashes her power, spiraling currents of purple lightning swarming around her as two raven-black wings burst from her back. She laughs, feeling the currents of power flow through her.

b "Ahhh...it's good to be back." /b Danielle says, stretching lazily, her back arching like the catgirl she is. After a few more moments of stretching, she turns to Zionus.

b " Now, where were we? Last time I checked, you were terrorizing my marshmallow half. Only I get to do that. Let's see what you look like as a corpse!" /b Danielle summons a flurry of purple orbs that streak towards Zionus at a wave of her hand, impacting against the shield he raises and detonating with amazing cumulative force.

Zionus staggers back, his body emitting wisps of black smoke. b "Impudent child. You have the nerve to command me?"

"Well, yeah. You're male. A bit stupider and more arrogant than most, but still...male. The right to command you comes with the heels. Or didn't you get that memo?"

"Die!" /b Zionus yells, firing off a series of energy beams that Danielle gracefully avoids, flying in a complicated figure-8 pattern. She lulls Zionus into targeting where he thinks she will fly to next, then surprises him by warping behind him and unleashing a two-handed beam of purple energy that pierces his barrier and leaves him howling in agony. He bats her away with a loud cry, following up the assault with a flurry of white orbs that detonate as hers did. She raises a shield, easily deflecting the counter-attack before wiping a small trickle of blood from her mouth.

b "Getting rough, aren't we? Good..." /b Danielle flares with energy, firing off a rapid-fire series of Demon Roars that splash against his barrier, the combined explosions overwhelming him and knocking him from the sky. He recovers quickly, but is set upon by Danielle, who attacks him with a vicious combination of telekinetically enhanced strikes, punctuating each attack with a Demon Roar fired at point blank range. She kicks him in the face, delivers a flurry of punches to his chest, then pounds the back of his head with two closed fists before kneeing him in the stomach. As he doubles over, unaccustomed to this vicious physical assault, Danielle fires a massive Demon Roar at his torso, which carries him into the nearby wall before exploding, consuming his body in dark purple flame.

At the lonely, frozen top of the world, X and Sigma face off in a dazzling battle of swordsmanship. The two are evenly matched in strength and speed, Sigma's longer weapon giving him a reach advantage but also slowing him a bit. X's shorter, lighter weapons strike with less range and force, but he wields them much faster. The two battle for what seems like an eternity, venting all the rage and hatred they feel towards one another.

Anyone watching would have been blinded by the glaring shockwaves X and Sigma gave off as their weapons collided again and again, each pouring his very heart and soul into the effort of trying to kill the other. Sigma's resolve breaks first, his heart sinking as he is unable to best X in melee combat. He feigns a swing, then fires a small energy blast at X's face, the flash temporarily blinding him. Lunging forward, he sends his sword through X's shoulder, barely missing the Hunter's heart. X lets out a grunt of pain, but brings his crossed swords up to prevent the blade from going any further, holding it in place before anything more than the tip can stab him.. Though the effort is pure agony, X fights past the pain, his indomitable will pressing him onward.

He coughs up blood as he hovers, straining mightily to break free. He charges his blades with dark energy, the katanas flaring to life as he pours conduit energy into them. Sigma presses forward, intending to fully run X through. At the last second, X stops pushing and pulls, falling backwards as he brings his legs up into Sigma's torso, launching him skyward. X continues his momentum into a full backflip as Sigma stops his upward flight with a flap of his wings.

b "That was a cheap shot with the kick. You should've just accepted your death gracefully..." /b 

"Says the guy who resorts to a cheap distraction to even be able to hit me. I was trying to play it fairly, as distracting you before I strike would make this far too boring." X fires a Demon Roar that catches Sigma's attention, then warps behind him and kicks him in the back of the head. "You have the attention span of a gnat." X smiles, healing the wound in his shoulder with Resta as he hovers above Sigma.

Sigma lets out a shriek of rage as he flies upward, bringing his sword down in a powerful falling slash that glows with released power. X backs away at the last instant, instead of going to block like Sigma expected. He darts at Sigma, stabbing him in the side and spinning away to avoid his counter attack.

A gout of blood spurts from Sigma's wound as he grasps his injured side, channeling power to heal the wound. He gets it about halfway closed before X attacks again, forcing him to block. X takes this chance to deliver a powerful kick to Sigma's wound, making the clone double over in agony as he sinks to the icy ground.

b "Why...why can't I beat you? How are you so much stronger than me!" /b Sigma screams incredulously, gasping for breath in the frigid air.

"Quite simple, really. You have a weak will. Physically, we're almost exactly the same. You have that horrid dye job, but you are a bit physically stronger than me. However, when we're dealing with conduit energies, physical strength or even technique strength aren't what really matters. It's all about your force of will. It's about using your will to make the power do what you want it to do, and not what it wants to do. You've spent your entire life taking orders and being force-fed stolen power. It's only natural that you have the willpower of a fangirl at an X anime convention. And this is why you're losing."

Sigma simply glares, seething with rage. He sheathes his blade and rises up into the air, charging up for his Angelic Symphony. The massive orb of white energy appears in front of him, ringed by a circle of faintly glowing arcane runes.

b "Willpower, eh? I'll prove to you that I'm the strongest, even if I have to kill myself doing it!" /b X rushes forward, hitting an impenetrable barrier around Sigma that not even successive Demon Roars can penetrate. X sees Sigma's body become more and more drained as he pours everything he has into charging the attack. His cheeks become hollow, his hair dull and lifeless, his eyes taking on a faint aimless stare as every ounce of his power is channeled into the attack. Blood begins to seep from his side and the other cuts all over his body as his wounds reopen.

b "Impudent little brat! I am power incarnate. Your feeble attacks are no match for me." /b Zionus extricates himself from the wall, hovering back up to his usual attack altitude. Danielle floats calmly, looking bored as she carefully examines her nails. Seeing a broken one from the punches she delivered to Zionus, she lets out snarl of rage.

b "Do you know how hard it is to get a manicure when you have to steal control of your body from a whiny little brat! I'm going to kill you!" /b Danielle powers up, a dark purple aura surrounding her as she begins to assault Zionus with a barrage of massive purple energy blasts. He blocks the first few, but soon begins to weaken under the hail of power. He curls up in agony as his crossed forearms barely manage to deflect the killing blasts from his vital areas.

b i "Where is she getting this power from? And why can I not stop her? I am a GOD! This child is nothing to my infinite power... /i /b Zionus extends a mental probe, scanning for his Seraphs, wondering why their soul-absorbing abilities have not granted him more power. He screams in rage, unleashing a fountain of glowing energy around him as he discovers why his army has failed.

b "SIGMA, YOU FOOL!" /b Zionus barks, the loud reverberations of his voice causing even Danielle to cover her ears. b i So, this is why my Seraphs have failed me...he absorbed them all to fuel his own petty feud, even directly disobeying my orders. That worthless copy shall burden me no more! /i /b 

b "You know, I'm not Sigma. I'm far, far more attractive than he is. And instead of bumbling around being a total failure like him, I'm going to kill you. How you could confuse the two of us, I don't know..." /b Danielle ends her taunt by warping in front of Zionus and starting to attack. Zionus blocks her first few hits, reaching out with his senses, following the steady leak of power he has felt this entire fight. When he contacts Sigma, he lets out another scream of rage, pushing Danielle back with a blast of energy that knocks her reeling.

Sigma pauses, a panicked look coming over his face. He begins talking to thin air, the massive energy blast he was charging dissipating into sparkles of light that flow towards the direction of Zionus' citadel.

b "Master...please...not now. Not while I'm this close..."

i "You fool. You have nearly ruined everything for me. I shall take back the power I wasted in making you, and use it to a better end. You have failed me for the last time..." /b 

The barrier around Sigma shatters into a million sparkling shards that dissipate before they hit the ground. His body is consumed with a white pulse of energy that starts in the center of his body and spreads outwards, appearing as if a flame is feeding on his energy. Sigma cries out in agony, begging for the pain to stop. The torment in his voice is so palpable that X briefly considers killing him to put him out of his misery.

i What the hell's going on...? Was he talking to Zionus...? /i 

"Hey, are you done crying so we can fight? I don't have all day, you know..." X begins, but stops as the flame of energy around Sigma begins to slowly die down. His wings begin to shed feathers rapidly, dissolving into smoke as they come off him. His body seems like it is falling apart for a moment, his very structure twisting and changing. When the flame of energy fades, it detaches from him, forming into an orb that disappears in a flash of light. Sigma lets out a cry of anguish and falls to the ground, no longer glowing at all, simply a broken man in white clothing. He hits with an audible thud, unmoving.

X flies downward, holding Orotiagito in one hand warily. Sigma stirs for a brief moment, his body burned, scorched and battered. b "The power... /b it's gone." He croaks, his voice finally losing the divine force that had so long accompanied it.

He pushes himself off the ground, his eyes no longer holding their bright glow, instead a dull, lifeless, watery grey. "Please...kill me. End this torment. He has taken all of my power." Sigma reaches up to feebly grasp X by the shirt, but is so weak he cannot even reach him. He falls back to the snow, his body going limp.

Danielle recovers from Zionus' shockwave, regaining her altitude with a quick beat of her wings. b i He's absorbing all this power from somewhere...aha! I can feel his link to the Great Light. If I break that, he's through. /i /b Firing off a Demon Roar in distraction, she opens a link to Zionus' mind, aiming straight for his connection to the Great Light.

b "Get out of my head! /b Zionus yells indignantly, firing off several energy blasts that strike the barrier Danielle put up. Though coordinating both a mental and a physical battle is quite difficult, she manages to pull it off, slipping through his defenses. Her psychic projection emerges inside a sparkling white, pristine stone temple. Four enormous pillars hold up the ceiling, each embedded with a large blue crystal. In the center sits a massive altar, set with the largest crystal she's ever seen. It pulses with a light so bright that she is unable to look at it, sending waves of force to the four pillars, which in turn radiate energy throughout the entire temple.

i Wow...this is going to take more to destroy than I thought. /i Danielle hurls a Demon Roar at the nearest pillar, the dark purple halo leaving nary a scratch as it explodes in a pulse of energy.

Zionus cries out as the mental barrier he has erected around his connection to the Great Light shudders under a furious assault from Danielle. b i This girl...she is trying to break my link. If she manages to succeed, I can draw no more power. The sacrifice of Sigma's life force would be a worthy use of that fool's worthless life. /i /b 

Smiling in triumph, he summons the power he stole from Sigma, the massive orb of pearlescent white energy hovering over his hand, straining to escape like a living being. He darts forward, leading his punch with the orb of power, a audible scream of tortured energy echoing Danielle's scream of agony as she simultaneously struggles to hold the attack back and tries to destroy the pillars in Zionus' mind. Trying to do both is an unbearable strain, and she nearly passes out from the overexertion of mental energy. A desperate plan forms in her mind as she hurls blast after blast of destructive force at the barrier surrounding the pillars, to no avail. b i Hmm...he's willing to risk everything he has to destroy me. If I let him through, he'll summon power from the Great Light to finish me off. That'll make the barrier drop. Damn...this is going to hurt. /i /b 

Danielle smiles grimly on the physical plane, her body giving off faint wisps of smoke as she regains her footing from Zionus' attack. Suddenly, she powers down, letting her knees go limp. She hits the ground hard, feeling rocks lacerate her knees as her conduit power leaves her. She feigns weakness with the expertise of a professional actress, slumping forward to catch herself on her hands. In the back of her mind, she hears Ayame's older self cry out in protest.

i You can't be seriously considering this. It's suicide...

"Yes, and? I'm a cursed soul leading a tortured existence. My ego is too strong to let myself be absorbed back into our body like we all need, and the kid fears me too much to willingly accept me. We will never be whole with me existing like this. Being able to take over and fly around blowing stuff up's been fun, but that's not a real life. At least with this, I can be part of a stronger whole. And maybe help the kiddo grow up a bit..."

...There's no way to talk you out of this, is there? I've never felt you resolve yourself this strongly on anything. I didn't think you could...

"Yeah, well...Zionus is about to attack me. The arrogant bastard actually fell for my 'weak little girl' impersonation. Let's hope he stays that foolish. And...one more thing. Though the brat annoys me to no end, you're actually pretty cool. Stay that way." /i With those final words, Danielle breaks the link, swaying a little in feigned exhaustion, hoping Zionus thinks she spent all of her energy attacking his barrier.

In his supreme arrogance, he doesn't disappoint, hurling himself forward and grabbing her by the throat as his body flares with divine energy. He raises the hand that still holds the stolen energy from Sigma, bringing his fist back for a final, lethal strike.

b "Stupid girl. Did you really think your feeble power would be enough to break my barrier? You can't even maintain your astral form anymore." /b 

i Wow, he is a moron. I'm still inside his head...oh. /i Feeling the subtle exertion of mental strength from the older Ayame's self, Danielle smiles inwardly. i Redirecting his thoughts while he's distracted. Thanks...sis. /i Danielle's further communications are cut off as Zionus sends a surge of divine power through her body. Though she cries out in agony, nearly all of her attention is focused on gathering power for her final assault, and she barely feels the pain. Zionus holds the stream of burning energy on her til she goes limp, shaking her like a rag doll as he holds her burned body aloft.

b "Now, you die!" /b Zionus leers in triumph as he plunges his fist into her stomach, the orb of divine power consuming her body. Danielle's back arches in agony as her muscles begin to spasm uncontrollably. She deliberately pours all of her conscious awareness into the psychic projection she has put into Zionus' mind, fighting past the pain. She smiles as she sees the blue barrier around the pillars shimmer, then fade. The white crystal in the center shines with a searing light as it begins to route power to the four pillars, the entire temple glowing with silvery blue energy light. She crosses the boundary of the barrier, each step a lesson in torment. She fights forward until she is within arm's reach of the central crystal, then stops, falling to her knees on the smooth stone floor. Crying out in triumph, she manifests the full power of her conduit, the wings bringing her aloft as Zionus recognizes what she is doing. She demolishes three of the pillars in a matter of seconds, firing Demon Roars at their undefended crystal energy routers.

Zionus howls in rage, drawing more and more power from his link, fighting to kill her before she completely demolishes his connection to the Great Light. A purple barrier appears around her body, driving the swirling orb of divine energy away from her. In Ayame's mind, her child and teenage selves watch as Danielle's conduit gives out.

i "We have to help her!" The younger Ayame says, on the verge of tears. Her older self reaches down and pats her on the shoulder.

"It's alright. She's nearly cut herself off. We have to say good bye..." Tears glint at the corners of her eyes as a faint, shadowy projection of Danielle appears in front of them.

"The central crystal is too strong. I can't break it with any normal attack. I'm going to have to focus everything I have into one final blast." She is heaving for breath as she says this, blood seeping from countless wounds all over her body, her astral projection trembling in pain and exhaustion.

"No! You can't die, you can't! I won't let you!" The younger Ayame rushes forward, casting a Resta that has no effect before flinging her arms around Danielle in a mad embrace.

"Kid, listen. You've been afraid of me all this time. You've hated me for what I am, and haven't wanted to have anything to do with me. Why the tears now?" Danielle manages a slow smile at this, though even that slight movement causes her pain.

"B-be-bec-cause...you saved me. From Zionus. You can't be bad..." Ayame is crying into Danielle's shoulder at this point.

"Yes, yes I can. But I'm a part of you. You can be just as bad as me. You can save yourself. You just need to accept that not everything in the world is perfect. Stop fighting the older self. Stop searching for some storybook happy ending, and make your own path!" Danielle trembles as she says this, feeling the temporary barrier around her body starting to weaken as the connection between herself and the Ayames fades.

"Kid, I need to go. Be strong, and don't let this arrogant fool break you." Danielle tries to pull away, her weakened body making this far more difficult. Ayame clings to her for a few more seconds, then releases her and stands back, wiping her eyes. "Why do bad things always have to happen?"

"Because the world isn't perfect, kid. The faster you realize that, the easier your life'll be. Now please...let me go. I need to do this."

"No! If I don't let you go, then you won't die, and everything will be fixed."

Danielle sighs, then leans forward, stumbling slightly. "Kid, I leave everything to you. Be strong." With these last words, she delivers a swift blow to the back of her younger self's head, knocking her unconscious. She stands, smiling grimly as she looks down.

"That's it, then. She's going to be pissed when she wakes up, but there's nothing she can do about it. You'll take over?"

"Yes. And...here." The teenage version of Ayame steps forward, drawing Shiranui from its sheath.

"I was just about to ask. Thank you." Danielle grips the sword and staggers fully upright, shaking from exhaustion."

"We'll make you proud." /i 

"I know." Danielle whispers, allowing the connection to her other selves to be completely severed as she extracts her consciousness from theirs, her weak grip on life making this far easier. She warps herself back into Zionus' mind, holding Shiranui in her left hand, still kneeling inside the barrier.

X jumps as he feels a powerful exertion of dark energy come from the direction of Zionus' citadel. He gazes down at the unmoving body of Sigma, then with a grim smile flies down and picks him up. He warps back to the field of battle in front of the Resistance base, dropping Sigma's still form in front of Lorna.

"X...what's going on in there?" Leah asks, seeing a bright red glow come from the direction of Zionus' citadel.

"I don't know, but...it doesn't feel right. I'm going." X takes to the air and streaks backs toward the base.

Lorna smiles happily as she sees the unmoving form of Sigma below her. A quick probe reveals that he has lost all power. Her smile fades slightly, but she feels the stirring of a genuine soul within him for the first time.

Zionus pours more and more power into the attack, seeing his target's body transition to a dark purple shadow. Taking this as a sign of victory, he redoubles his efforts, not seeing Ayame's still body appear in a far corner of the room. He continues his assault on Danielle's being, feeling her life force weaken and weaken. Suddenly, he stops, feeling an awkward buzzing in his mind, near his connection to the Great Light.

b "NO!" /b he screams, seeing the destructive force be absorbed into the shadowy being in front of him. He curses loudly, sending a telepathic probe into the depths of his own mind. He appears inside the temple, but is unable to cross his own barrier, the power being routed through his attack, into Danielle's physical form, then into the attack she's preparing.

i "You know, it's funny...I never saw myself ending up like this. Oh well. This should be a nice explosion." Danielle says, a blood red arcane circle appearing around her, the circle glowing brighter and brighter as the stolen power from Sigma is routed to it.

"You can't! I am a god, you cannot defeat me...!" Zionus yells desperately, seeing the arcane circle become brighter and brighter, feeling a pulse of dark energy gather around Danielle.

"No, you're wrong. First off...you aren't going to be a god much longer. Second...I just beat you." Danielle's eyes turn black as she stands inside the circle, beginning to chant in an ancient voice.

"Rage of the Imprisoned: Blood Oath Destroyer!" Danielle screams in a move reminiscent of her 'uncle.' She plunges Shiranui into her stomach, bending double as she rips a gash in her body, the fountain of blood that pours out of her hitting the arcane circle, tying every bit of her life force into the gathering attack. A small bubble of blood appears on her lips and bursts, her cough turning into a faint gurgle as she falls to her knees, then slumps forward onto her face, her life pumping out of her. Her vision dims, the world going dark and cold around her as a feeling of utter triumph flows through her.

"Victory...peace...they both feel...nice." Danielle thinks, as the last of her life leaves her, forming into a glowing red orb of energy that turns her body to shadow, then consumes it, drawing power from the searingly bright red circle below her. Zionus cries out in rage, seeing his plans crumble beneath him. The orb grows larger and brighter, shuddering as black bolts of lightning dance around the surface of it, opening cracks in it that shoot out beams of purple light. The beams of light hit the surfaces of the temple, burning easily through the stone and severing the pillars. The ceiling begins to shake as Zionus exits his own mind, cutting the link seconds before Danielle's final attack consumes his connection to the Great Light. He feels the red blast wave of energy rise in his mind, destroying all he has wrought in a torrent of dark red flame. He cries out in agony, the torment beyond anything he had ever experienced. It made his physical body's death at the hands of X so long ago feel like a mere pinprick in comparison.

He is consumed in the same dark red flame that consumed his ambitions, and emerges, no longer glowing with power. He staggers to his feet, looking around for the person who caused him so much damage. With a roar of triumph, he sees Ayame's unmoving figure in the corner, and takes to the air, his weakened body trembling as he exerts power to fly.

Ayame awakens slowly, a gaping emptiness lurking at the back of her mind. She hears a feeble voice in her head as an orb of shadow appears beside her, the orb forming into the near-transparent figure of Danielle. She gasps in horror at the myriad wounds covering her other self's body.

"You...you did it. He's not connected any more." Ayame says, her voice the frightened lament of a child.

"...ye..s." Danielle croaks feebly, holding on to life by the barest whisper of willpower.

i Ayame, you ended up in control of our shared body. Zionus is weakened, now is your chance! /i Ayame's older self nearly screams into her mind.

"I...I can't. He's too strong..." She whimpers, hiding her face in her hands. "He killed Danielle..."

i Come on, you can do this! Danielle wouldn't have done it if she didn't believe you could. /i Her older self says frantically.

"I don't want to be in control anymore. I wanna help Danielle." Ayame says in a child-like voice, darting forward to grasp Danielle's shadowy hands in her own.

"Ki...d...figh..t...him..." Danielle whispers, straining to stay attached to the world.

"I can't..." Kid Ayame says, trying to Resta Danielle. She screeches in horror as Zionus appears behind her.

"You! You are responsible for this. Pay with your life!" Zionus says, using his accumulated power to manifest the familiar energy signature around himself. Though he can no longer draw infinite power from the Great Light, he still has enough built up to maintain his form. b "Your life ends now." /b He says, channeling an energy blast.

Brom stirs, the Psycho Wand in his chest having finally stumbled upon Reverser, after going through nearly every other technique it knew. He rises to one knee, his cracked visual sensors detecting a massive surge of energy nearby. Struggling to his feet with the help of his Doombringer, he staggers over, realizing as he gets halfway there that he is out of Moon Atomizers. He hears the conversation between Ayame and Zionus, though Ayame seems to be talking to someone else.

"I can't fight him, Danielle. I can't get mad like you, because when I get mad people get hurt..."

"Dammit..." Danielle wheezes.

Zionus channels his attack, laughing all the while. He is interrupted by the harsh stabbing pain of a Doombringer penetrating his back. b "Argh!" /b Brom leaves the sword in as he stumbles over to Ayame.

"Ignorant fleshling larvae! Anger is what gives us strength, what gives up power. Fearing anger is the most irrational thing I have ever heard spawned from your inferior analog thought processes." Brom stands between Ayame and Zionus, his natural regeneration starting to give more power to his internal mechanisms.

"Mr. Brom..." Ayame says through a face clouded with tears. "I...don't know what to do..."

i Either fight back or relinquish control! We can't fight him like this..." /i Her older self yells into her mind.

X appears outside the citadel, readying a massive Demon Roar as he flies forward. He fires, fully expecting the barrier to dissipate easily as it did last time. He impacts with a resounding thud and bounces off.

"What the hell?" X unleashes a barrage of energy blasts, none able to scratch the renewed barrier Zionus had put up after he left. Comprehension dawns on his face as he snarls.

"Dammit..."

Ayame watches as Zionus darts forward, his hand going into Brom's chest. He lifts the android high in the air as he grasps the Psycho Wand that powers Brom's internal workings.

"Get...bzzt...your...crackle...filthy...spark...meatbag...hands...off of me!" Brom yells in defiance, reaching down to grasp Zionus' hand by the wrist. He pulls feebly, surprised at the pure strength of this 'weak fleshie'. The more effort he expends, the more sparks shoot from his body.

Zionus smiles in triumph. b "Well, it appears that you are the last of your pathetic team that is still willing to fight me. As such...this ends." /b Zionus delivers a powerful blast to Brom's internal circuitry, pushing the droid back as he rips the Psycho Wand from his frame. Brom lands a few feet away, a miniature explosion erupting from his chest cavity. His body shuts down completely, going limp. Zionus shatters the Psycho Wand with a flexing of his hand, tossing the fragments away.

Ayame shrieks in terror, the realization that she is about to die truly hitting her. With this comes a strange sense of peace. i Danielle was right...no one can protect me...but me. /i Ayame lunges forward, grasping Danielle's hands in both of hers. She presses her face to her alter ego's shoulder, whispering softly.

"Neither of us is whole alone. I accept you..." Danielle smiles feebly as she feels herself be absorbed into the child Ayame. The two personalities fuse and intertwine, giving off a bright purple glow as they are integrated fully by the teen Ayame. She falls to her knees, her superego and id relinquishing their tenuous holds on reality, the split portions of her self fusing into one at long last. She gets to her feet with a fierce look in her eye.

"Zionus...it's over." She calls upon her conduit with no sign of effort, a pink feathered wing shooting from her back as her body is covering in a shimmering pink aura. She blasts Zionus with a Demon Roar, then swoops around the room, reviving her team with a super Reverser.

Sage opens his eyes, seeing a shining pink being hovering over him. "Ayame...?"

"Yes, Sage. Please get up. We have work to do. Danielle broke Zionus' connection to the Great Light, at a horrible cost. Zionus has severely injured Brom as well. Uncle is trapped outside, unable to break through the barrier. It's up to us now..."

Sage stands, looking around to see Nova, JiEin and Liss getting to their feet. Brom lies unmoving in a corner, a blackened hole consuming most of his chest. He briefly scans Ayame's mind, realizing what has happened.

"Let's end this." He says, drawing his Yasminkovs. The others recover from their bout with unconsciousness quickly, bolstered by Ayame's freshly cast Shifta and Deband. Nova starts the assault off with a burst of gunfire, Sage following with a hail of telekinetically enhanced bullets. Liss begins hurling slicer blades at Zionus, grinning in surprise as their concentrated assault breaks through his barrier. Ayame and JiEin dart forward as one, Ayame drawing the blood-stained blade of Shiranui as she and her android companion unleash a vicious combined melee assault.

Zionus sends a surge of power through the shield of solid energy he brings up, the jolt sending JiEin flying as his blade makes contact. Zionus hovers out of Ayame's sword range, then blasts the ground at her feet, knocking her down. Before he can continue the assault, he is caught in the back by an explosive cannon shell from Nova. Nova replaces the Hand Cannon ARM back into its capsule, then begins tracking Zionus with a stream of Yasminkov fire. Zionus warps away, the Ramar's exceptionally accurate fire following him around the room, though doing little damage.

i He's fighting a defensive battle for once. He's afraid to use too much power...I guess Danielle really did succeed. I wonder what'll happen if he expends the last of his stolen power... /i Sage thinks, deflecting a flurry of energy blasts with a telekinetic wave.

He rushes over to JiEin, casting a Resta as the android gets to his feet. "You alright?" Sage asks, taking occasional potshots at Zionus.

"I'm fine. We need to somehow break through his barrier. We can penetrate it enough to damage him, but we aren't doing enough damage to make him drop it completely before he heals."

"I have an idea..." Sage replies, conferring with JiEin verbally as he telepathically contacts the others. Zionus continues to warp around the room, firing off frantic shots as he tries to avoid being caught in a final attack.

b i These fools...if that infernal girl hadn't shattered my connection, I could annihilate them. Why can I not destroy them! /i /b As he inwardly seethes, he realizes the error in his thinking. b i Of course...I was trying to control the power, even after I'd lost my link to it. Perhaps if I... /i /b A smile crosses his face as he warps out of the way of a blast from Nova's Phaser ARM, the bright whitish blue beam slamming into the wall behind him.

Zionus' instantaneous teleportation carries him across the room, and he aims a beam attack at JiEin, who swiftly dodges out of the way. Zionus repositions himself for a better shot, straying into the path of a confuse trap that JiEin set. Sage grins as he fires a Yasminkov shot that ignites the confusion trap, the swirling fumes exploding in Zionus' face. Zionus staggers, the room around him reeling for a moment, his non-divine form having to breathe once again.

After a few seconds in which he is surprisingly not attacked, his vision clears. He looks around to see JiEin kneeling on the ground, his chest plate open. He sees the familiar red glow forming around JiEin's chest and tries to move away, but finds himself unable to move, caught in a telekinetic barrier. He sees the woman known as Lissandra exerting a visible strain as she holds him trapped, but the telekinetic binding is so tight he is unable to move enough to unleash an energy blast.

b "Insolent mortals!" /b He cries, struggling to break free. He hears JiEin's voice taunting him seconds before his body is enveloped in a wave of superheated energy. Zionus exerts a large portion of his remaining power shielding himself, and when the Heat Blazer dies off, he remains intact, though visibly shaken. Further attempts to free himself have the same result.

Sage looks at him grimly as he gathers power for a Legeon, feeling Liss's exhaustion as she holds Zionus immobile. Ayame rushes over to JiEin, chilling his insides with a series of Barta techs that cause the steam coming from his joints to subside.

"Well Zionus...you're about to be mortal too." Sage says, casting a Grants directly in front of the struggling tyrant. As the telltale shimmers of light appear, Sage hurls a Megid towards Zionus, the purple ball of dark energy impacting with the Grants with a bright blue flash. Sage taps into Lutz's power, both reinforcing Lissandra's shield and more securely maintaining the building chain-reaction of Legeon. The swirling blue orb grows larger and larger, taxing Sage's endurance to the utmost as he holds it steady, every second he stops it from exploding causing the eventual release of energy to become stronger and stronger. He feels Liss's reserves give out as she loses her grip on Zionus, her mental energy completely drained. With a sigh of resignation, he opens himself fully to Lutz, feeling the Esper's power rapidly fading away as he both immobilizes Zionus and contains Legeon.

i This is it...if I don't finish him with this, we may be out of luck. Both Liss and I'll be near helpless after this. /i Sage's body flares with white energy, his hair and eyes taking on a silver tint as Lutz manifests himself on the physical plane, to more fully reinforce Sage. A look of utter terror creeps across Zionus' face as he realizes there will be no escaping this attack.

When he can no longer maintain the shields around the chain reaction, Sage releases his grip, straining with the last dregs of his energy to hold Zionus immobile as the massive explosion begins. He feels his link to Lutz drop out as the Esper expends all of his stored power, and falls to his knees as Zionus is sucked into the whirling maelstrom of blue destruction. As Sage loses consciousness, the last thing he hears is a scream of anguish from Zionus. A smile crosses the Fomar's face as the world around him fades to black.

Struggling against the barrier, X sees a bright flash of blue energy come from inside the citadel. He feels the blast wave of Sage's Legeon seconds before the loud whine of released energy plays havoc with his ears. He nearly falls to the ground as the shockwave that follows Legeon radiates outward from the citadel, buffeting him around like a rag doll. When he regains his composure, he sees the shield in front of him shimmer and disappear, and he slips past, heading for the throne room.

Nova blinks, his eyes still watering from the glare. He shakes his head and looks around, seeing a charred crater in the center of the throne room. Sage and Liss lie unmoving in a far corner of the room, each having expended every last iota of their technique energy. i Sage and Liss both warned me they'd be completely spent after that attack. However...I think it worked. /i Nova walks cautiously forward, followed by Ayame and JiEin, who both have their weapons at the ready.

"Did it work...?" Ayame asks, her pink feathered wing lightly brushing the ground.

"Sensors no longer detect the massive energy surges Zionus usually gives off." JiEin says, hefting his sword. Frost still coats his joints from Ayame's emergency cooldown method.

"Hmm...well, a little gunfire can't hurt." Nova says, walking to the edge of the crater and peering over, training his Yasminkovs on the still figure inside. At a hint of movement, he prepares to fire, but a static discharge leaps from Zio's hand, igniting every shell in Nova's Yasminkovs at once, causing a minor explosion that makes the Ramar drop his weapons. JiEin and Ayame lunge forward as Nova withdraws his Flight Cutter.

"You caused me to use the last of my stored power. I no longer contain any of the divine energy of the Great Light. However, as a parting gift, he has restored my body. Though I am no longer a god, I still have the power to punish you worthless insects." Zio says, getting to his feet.

"Haven't I killed you enough times already!" X yells, hurling a Demon Roar at Zio as he bursts into the throne room. Zio steps back, the residual energies of the Great Light shielding him.

"Ah, X. How...nice to see you. I shall take great pleasure in breaking you loose from this mortal coil." Zio raises his hands, beginning to chant. A faintly glowing blue circle envelops him, shielding him from the barrage of attacks the four unleash.

"It's ironic, really. I expended the last of the power I'd obtained from the Great Light in trying to simply survive that last assault from that wretched Fomar. However, no longer possessing the power of a god is not entirely bad. I can now summon his help in ways I could not before. Observe." Zio sneers as he says this, still protected by his barrier.

Zio's chanting rises in strength and intesity as his body is levitated into the air. No longer controlling the power of the Great Light, he is now simply calling on it, his prolonged usurpation of the power affording him a unique sensitivity to the Great Light. He chants the words of a spell that spring to his mind.

i I beseech thee, O' divine one! Unleash your righteous fury on those who would steal your power for their own good. Crush them in your immortal wrath! /i 

Surprisingly...ironically...though it violates all laws of reason and sense...the Great Light responds to the insane tyrant's call, still befuddled from its long captivity. Shining runes, similar to a photon blast, ring the throne room. A bright disk of light appears around each of the Rings, consuming the still-standing JiEin and Nova in blasts of silver light that rain from the heavens, juggling them in a torrent of unleashed power. When the attack fades, Nova and JiEin are left reeling. Sage, Brom and Liss, still unmoving, are left unharmed, as the Great Light doesn't register them as a 'threat'. The Great Light seems to shudder, realizing its mistake, though the damage has already been done. Zio feels the divine being's hesitancy, and makes one final call, twisting the being's perceptions with the last of his telepathic strength.

i Now, banish the evil ones from my sight. Cleanse your sacred citadel of those who walk in shadow, and bring the demons to their knees! /i 

X and Ayame are consumed in white flames, the outward manifestations of their link to the Profound Darkness being burned away with divine light. They fall, their bodies unable to take the incredible punishment. As they lose consciousness, the barrier around the room solidifies, blocking any dark power from entering.

Zio feels a cry of horror from his mind as the Great Light breaks free of his telepathic twisting.

b i You...you made me kill them. /i /b The Great Light cries, finally realizing the depths to which Zio has twisted his power.

i "Yes, you fool. After stealing your power for my own for so long, you are unable to resist my will. And in the process of using up all your power, I have weakened you. If you attempt to intervene in this battle, you will be unable to prevent the Profound Darkness from breaking through into this reality. You can rage at me all you like, but you lack the power to do anything. I thank you for your...assistance. Though I am no longer a god, I shall still be able to take my revenge. X will die at my hand!" /i 

Zio begins to laugh maniacally, the horrible despair he felt at losing the infinite power of the Great Light somewhat counterbalanced by seeing his foes broken and spent before him. He slowly walks towards the huddled form of X in front of him, seeing the battered Humar's body lying still and unmoving. He feels the briefest stirring of divine power, but discounts it, lifting X's still figure with an exertion of telepathic might.

Sage feels a strange warmth come over him, and he blinks, his eyes opening. He sees rough stone in front of his face, every movement feeling like it is forced through a sea of mud.

i b "You, the host of the Esper. You must defeat Zio." /b 

"Wha?"

b "I am the Great Light. Zio is no longer in control of my power, though he used the last bit of energy he absorbed from me to make me attack everyone. I cannot spare any more power other than what I just used. Your final attack on Zionus made him use nearly all my strength. Revive your friends and go." /b /i Sage hears the faint voice in his head cut out, and further efforts to contact it are useless. He staggers to a semi-upright position, his vision blurring as he looks towards Zio. X is levitated in front of him, and a large spear of ice is forming above X's heart.

Taking careful aim (for the first and last time in his life), Sage withdraws his Yasminkov 2000H and sends the final bullet in the clip at Zio's face. It hits Zio in the shoulder, drawing a spurt of blood as the impact of the bullet spins him around. His channeled spell breaks, and his shattered concentration makes X hit the floor. The impact awakens the hunter, and he rolls onto his stomach. Zio curses loudly, glaring at Sage.

"You! You think you can steal my vengeance from me? I've had enough of you. Prepare to die!" Zio channels magical energy, a massive orb of flame appearing in front of him. Sage, too drained to even move, simply looks on, a funny sense of peace washing over him.

i After all this time...after all these struggles...killed after we took him out of god form. Ironic... /i Sage struggles to move out of the path of the flames, his weakened body rendering him barely able to sit up. As he stares the crimson orb of death in the face, a loud rush of air blows in the far wall.

Nyreal steps through, Shouin Lumiere swirling with technique energy. Though battered, bruised and clearly the worse for wear, a look of triumph shines on his face.

"Sage, look out!" he yells, seeing the massive fireball headed for Sage. With a flick of his wrist, he sends a howling gale of wind at the flame that slashes it to bits, dispelling it. He rushes over, deflecting Zio's techniques with more swings from his sword. He reaches Sage, throwing a Trifluid to him.

"That's my last one. Use it wisely." Nyreal says, after Sage has used it.

"Now you tell me. Where the hell have you been?" Sage asks, casting a Resta and standing as the healing energy washes over him.

"Busy. What do you think happened to Eriror?" Nyreal grins, then intercepts another blast that Zio flings at the pair.

"Why's Zionus not glowing anymore?" Nyreal asks, parrying another fireball and countering with a gale of wind from his sword.

"We severed his link to the Great Light. We need to get everyone up and moving, then finish him off." Sage replies.

"Got it." Nyreal dashes forward, casting a Resta on X as the Hunter staggers to an upright position. His next Reverser technique revives Ayame, who sits up. Nyreal focuses on deflecting Zio's continued attacks as X and Ayame come back to awareness.

"Why won't you die!" Zio snarls, flinging technique after technique at Nyreal. He deflects them easily, being at relatively full strength. With the intervention of the fully healed Fomar, the battle begins to swiftly turn in the heroes' favor.

X swings Orotioagito at Zio, impacting a barrier. He sidesteps, bringing the sword down again and swiping Zio in the side. Ayame takes her chance, lunging forward and stabbing Zio between the shoulder blades with Shiranui as she lets out a cry of rage. Sobbing in anger, she drives the blade in til the hilt scrapes Zio's spine. Zio howls in agony, slumping forward, trying frantically to withdraw the blade from his back.

As Zio arches in pain, X steps forward, stabbing him in the side with Orotiagito, provoking a spray of blood and another cry of pain. Zio coughs up blood as he begins to chant, aiming for one final spell before he expires. Nyreal cuts off his casting by lunging forward and burying Shouin Lumiere in the villain's other side. Impaled like a stuck pig, Zio falls to his knees, bleeding profusely.

"I'll...kill...you..." He says, glaring at Sage. Sage feels the arcane energies swirling around him, and sees a transparent barrier pop up around Zio as the mage tries to buy enough time for a sacrificial final attack. Ayame, X and Nyreal all let out cries of pain as sparks shoot from their weapons, knocking them back.

Sage steps towards Zio, drawing the Seraph Saber Dante had made and pouring every ounce of his technique energy into it. He swings it in a low, flat arc, the silver and blue photon saber flaring with a bright glow. It cleaves through Zio's neck, severing his head from his body. A bright flash of light erupts from Zio as the Great Light is freed from his prison, lines of white energy shooting from Zio as the Great Light breaks the last ties Zio had to the mortal plane. Zio's lifeless corpse slumps forward as it is consumed in blue flame, the typical blue aura of expended technique energy burning away all traces of his new body. A scorched, black area on the stones of his throne room is all that remains.

"It's...over. Finally." Sage says, supporting himself with one hand on the rough floor as he kneels.

Ayame, X and Nyreal all retrieve their weapons from the smoldering patch that marks Zio's final resting place. All of them stare at the spot for a few moments, then Ayame lets out a cry of glee and leaps at X, tackling him in a powerful hug the second he sheathes Orotiagito.

"We did it, YAY!" she yells happily, nearly cutting off her uncle's air supply. Nyreal looks on, laughing.

As the group goes about patching up their wounds, a glowing orb of light appears in the center of the room. Each whirls, drawing their individual weapons.

b "Whoa, whoa. Calm down. It's just me." /b The Hunter who appears says, his white uniform glowing with a light like Zionus'.

"What do you mean, 'just me'?" Lissandra asks warily, getting to her feet after a Reverser on Brom fails to reboot his systems.

b "I'm the Great Light, guys! I'm here to thank you for...uh...what was I here to thank you for, again...?" /b The being gets a puzzled look on his face, scratching his head.

Lutz springs into life in Sage's mind with an outraged cry.

i This is impossible. This cannot be the being for which I sacrificed decades of my existence to serve. /i Lutz says disgustedly. i He can barely even maintain a coherent train of thought... /i 

The Great Light looks on with a vacant stare on his face. He stares down at his hands, then produces a yo-yo out of midair and begins playing with it. As he loops it around, he notices everyone staring at him.

b "Oh, hi! Who are all of you?" /b 

"We're the ones who just beat Zionus." Nyreal says.

"You showed up to thank us, or something...?" Nova says, holstering his Yasminkovs.

b "Zionus! Where!" /b The mention of Zionus' name provokes a look of horror from the idioti- ahem 'confused' deity. b "You have to hide me. He smells funny, and always yells at me.." /b The Great Light says, warping over to hide behind JiEin. He peeks his head over JiEin's shoulder, looking around warily.

b "Is he here?" /b The Great Light extends one hand, glowing with energy. As he does so, he inadvertently hits himself in the face with the yo-yo. He backs away from JiEin, grabbing his nose as he blasts a hole in the ceiling.

"What is your malfunction...?" JiEin asks as the Great Light fires off energy blasts frantically.

b "It's the demon monkeys, trying to kill me. One hit me in the nose!" /b 

After a few more moments of firing off energy blasts at random bits of rubble, the Great Light seems satisfied.

b "Take that, invisible demon monkeys!" /b 

The group stares for a moment as he calms down. Ayame starts giggling uncontrollably.

"You're funny."

The Great Light grins the innocent smile of a child. b "Thanks! So...why am I here, again?" /b He makes a scroll materialize from thin air, but in his attempt to put away the yo-yo and read the scroll, he ends up with the scroll tucked into his pocket, trying to read the yo-yo. A few more seconds of fumbling finally has him sorted out. He reads for a moment, a pair of tiny pince-nez glasses appearing on the bridge of his nose.

b "Let's see...T-o...d-o...l-ist. Aha! To-do List. So, what was I supposed to do...?" /b With a loud exclamation, he jumps as if shot, dropping the scroll. b "Oh yeah...I need to do laundry. Anyway...I'm here to thank all of you for defeating Zionus." /b The Great Light says, stowing the yo-yo in his back pocket and beginning to make the scroll travel up and down on a strand of light extended from his finger. The group simply looks on in shock, not quite sure what to make of what they are seeing.

i He seemed so much more...competent when he spoke to me inside my head. /i Sage thinks. Liss picks up on this and stifles a grin.

i "Yes, it is rather odd. The protector of the universe seems rather...underwhelming. Perhaps it's an act?" /i 

i I hope... /i 

X's nose has started to bleed profusely by this point, and he has a pained look on his face. Inside his mind, he hears the Profound Darkness start into a rant.

b i "Not this fool again! ARGH! I've been confined by this moron for all eternity. You'd think that after killing off his earthly avatar, I'd be able to get a little peace." /b 

X watches the Profound Darkness pace around in his mind, grinning as she gets more and more agitated. She lashes out with her tentacles, hitting a stone pillar in the psychotropic representation of her prison that X's mind presents.

"He is...acting, right? There's no possible way you could be defeated by someone that's actually this stupid..."

b "Silence! You have no idea of his power." The Profound Darkness says, shaking with anger. /b 

"Hahahaha! You did get beaten by him."

b "I was rather...compromised at the time. Consuming an entire planet's worth of souls tends to make you a bit inebriated. That's the only way this fool could have..." /b 

"Riiight. Whatever you have to tell yourself. Anyway, have fun in your prison. And quit making my nose bleed." /i 

X returns to active consciousness after the internal dialogue to see the Great Light hovering in front of him, waving his hands in a complicated pattern.

"Hey, what're you doing?" X asks, backing away.

b "Your nose is bleeding. I'm going to fix it." /b With a quick movement, the Great Light casts a spell. Unfortunately for X, the Great Light's attempt at a Resta results in a Grants spell that he narrowly avoids.

Liss smiles, then casts a quick Resta as the Great Light casts another spell, timing it to look like he cast Resta. X dodges the Foie blast that resulted, backing towards Sage.

b "Yay, it worked! Anyway, I just wanted to thank all of you." /b 

"Ok, thank. It was our pleasure to help." Sage says, as Lutz rails at him. i This is intolerable! There is no way the being I served for this long is so...so...

"Stupid? Foolish? Scatter-brained? Mentally deficient?"

All of the above...

"Really, it makes sense if you think about it. He is always represented as being indirect, and never actually intervening himself. Now I see why...he's a danger to himself and others."

...damn you. You're right, though.

"I know, it's sad. Sorry your entire afterlife's work has basically been a waste of time. We had fun though, right?"

Yes, I suppose. /i 

As Sage and Lutz have their conversation, the Great Light sees the glint of light reflecting off of Brom's plating.

b "Oooh, shiny!" /b He warps over to the fallen android, and with a quick wave of his hand reactivates him.

"...ugh. What the bloody hell? Who are you, strangely glowing meatbag? Where is Zionus? What happened?" Brom replies, his internal systems kicking on.

b "I'm the Great Light!" /b 

"The entire reason Zionus was unable to unleash his reign of terror upon the world? The power that gave him the ability to nearly wipe this planet clean of the impure flesh-based lifeforms that oppress my people?" Brom asks cautiously.

b "Yeah, that's me!" /b 

Brom suddenly falls to one knee, bowing deeply. "You have helped bring death to the fleshling oppressors. I bow to you. If you would like a new conduit for your infinite destructive power, I gladly give my frame to that noble cause."

Sage scowls. "Brom, quit trying to abuse the infinite power of the Great Light for your own purposes."

"Damnable fleshbag..." Brom mutters.

The Great Light beams at the attention, producing a staff out of thin air. b "Here you go, Mr. Metal Guy! This can fill that hole in your chest." The narrow form of a Caduceus appears in the Great Light's hands, seconds before he stabs it into Brom's chest. The others gasp in horror, but Brom simply laughs.

"Ahahaha! The power, the power!" His body glows with a bright light as the staff is assimilated. When the Great Light withdraws his hand, the Caduceus fills the place where the Psycho Wand formerly resided.

b "There you go, pal. Well, thanks again to all of you for helping me and stuff. I've gotta go. See ya!" /b With a sudden flash of light, the divine being disappears. He reappears a second later above the throne.

b "Uh, how do I get to space, again? I lost my map..." /b 

Sage puts a hand on his forehead, rubbing the spot where the stress headache is rapidly taking hold. He points upward. "That way..."

b "Thanks guy!" /b With another flash, the Great Light disappears.

A quick Hinas from Ayame brings the group back to the Resistance headquarters, where they find a heroes' welcome.

Sigma stirs, hearing an insistent voice in the back of his mind. He struggles against his shackles, raging at his treatment by Zionus.

i "You know...I can help you. Give yourself to me, and together we shall destroy all those who opposed you..." /i The tentacled woman whispers into his thoughts.

i "You'll give me power...?"

"Yes, if that is what you desire."

"Do it. I don't care what I have to do. I want to have the power to destroy them all!"

"Hahahahahaha!" /i The sultry laugh fills his mind as the power of the Profound Darkness takes over his body. His body is consumed by a darkly shining armor as his limbs morph into claws. A pair of enormous batlike wings sprout from his back as he annihilates his prison in a flash of released power. He blows a hole in the ceiling, then flies off, the Profound Darkness reveling in the power of the new host she just obtained.

b "Marvelous, marvelous! It's all the power of that insufferable brat with none of the pesky willpower." /b Darkness blasts several holes along the outer wall as she flies past, the Demon Roars causing massive explosions.

Alarms go off in the base as the Profound Darkness frees herself from the chamber that held Sigma.

"What's going on?" Sage asks, turning to Labyrinth.

"Sigma has escaped, and has left the base." The RAcast replies, after consulting his monitors.

"I thought I drained him to the point where he could hardly be a threat!" Lorna stomps her foot in anger, glaring towards the main console.

A grim look crosses over X's face as he hears the Profound Darkness's laughter in the back of his mind.

"The Profound Darkness has consumed him. This is going to get ugly." X grabs his katanas and heads for the main entrance, followed almost immediately by Ayame and Neifirst.

"You think you're taking all the glory this time, brat?" Nei snarls.

"Nah, but...why are you two following me?" X asks, seeing Ayame coming up on his other side.

"Because. We're connected to her too. I have a feeling this will take all three of us." Ayame says, struggling to keep up with her uncle and Neifirst's longer strides.

Sage and Liss rush after them as Labyrinth sounds the general alarm.

When they reach the outskirts of the base, they see a shining black portal swirling and growing in the center of the plains that ring the base. D-Cell monsters of all kinds are pouring out in a swarm. Sigma's transformed shape floats above the portal, surrounded by a black aura. The sky takes on a peculiar dark purple tint, masking the brilliant sunset that had been slowly ushering out the day.

b "All life, all creation...all will bow before me in death!" /b Sigma cries, sending a flurry of Demon Roars at the Resistance troopers that pour out of the base. X manifests his conduit and takes to the air, striking down several Delsabers as he speeds towards Sigma. Shrugging, Ayame and Neifirst release their powers as well, flying after him.

Sage arrives outside, taking in the massive portal as he gasps for breath. He sees the Dreamchasers locked in combat with a group of D-Cell monsters. Axios cleaves a Merlan in half, then turns and yells to Sage.

"What the hell's going on?"

Sage fights his way over, followed closely by Lissandra. As the two battle closer, Lorna, Yokote and Nyreal appear from inside the base. The groups converge, fighting off the swarming D-Cell creatures.

"The Profound Darkness has taken advantage of the Great Light's weakened condition, and has used Sigma as a channel to break free into this world." Lorna explains, decapitating a Delsaber.

"So...he goes from being a glowing light bulb to a cursed emissary of darkness, just like that?" Kiara asks, destroying a group of claws with a Rafoie.

"It must have something to do with being a clone of X. The Profound Darkness has hinted that X is a nearly perfect host for divine energy." Leah joins the fray, sweeping through a line of Merlans with her Flamberge. The creatures fall, though more quickly replace them. Keiko follows hot on her heels in cat form, transforming to her humanoid shape long enough to blast a Gran Sorceror with a Ryuenjin: Chou. The flaming wheels produce a bright flash of light as the creature is consumed.

High above the main battle, X forces his way through a line of hovering, winged Delsabers. He slashes one in half, then blasts another with a Demon Roar. Looking over, he sees three of them soaring towards Ayame. Before he can move to help her, she has obliterated her three attackers with a series of pin-point energy blasts. Nei struggles with a third, finally resorting to impaling it with her hand blade before sending a pulse of dark flame that incinerates the creature.

"Well, what do we do now?" Ayame asks, as the three fight their way towards Sigma.

"I don't think Darkness is at full strength either, despite what it seems. If we all use a lot of conduit power, it'll bleed off what Sigma has to work with." X replies, cutting down another flying Delsaber. He feels the familiar tickling at the back of his mind as Sage contacts him.

i "X...if the three of you pool your powers, you can greatly reduce the amount of available energy Sigma has. It all comes from the same source, right?"

"Yeah, pretty much. But if that isn't enough to destroy him...what then? That's a lot of D-Cell monsters." /i 

X hears a different voice in his head, and jumps in surprise.

i "If I convert all of my stored technique energy into destructive force...it could wipe out a large chunk of Ragol. If I focus that on Sigma, combined with your conduit powers...he won't be surviving." /i Lutz says calmly.

i "Lutz...why in the hell didn't you mention this while we were fighting Zionus?" /i Sage asks.

i "Because, Sage...doing that will disincorporate me. I didn't feel like killing myself off for Zionus. However, now...I don't feel the same way."

"It's because of meeting the Great Light, isn't it? That guy could drive anyone to suicide..."

"...that's part of it. Also...you did admirably during the conflict with Zionus. If I have to expend the last bit of energy holding my soul to the Circlet, I feel happy knowing that you will inherit my power and knowledge."

"Wait...didn't I get all your power/knowledge/whatever when I put on the circlet?"

"In short...no."

"That explains a hell of a lot." /i 

X listens to the argument as he fights his way to Sigma, being constantly buffetted back by the waves of power coming off of him.

i "So...you two done?" /i X asks.

i "Yes. If you, Ayame and Neifirst can blast Sigma with a powerful enough attack to distract him that will allow Sage to strike."

"Right. I'll get right on that..." /i X breaks the link, and yells to Ayame and Neifirst, who are hovering near him.

"We need to combine our powers. The more power we exert, the less Sigma has to work with. By pooling our efforts, we can produce more of a destructive effect."

"So...a triple conduit attack? Yay!" Ayame says, grinning.

Nei smirks. "You have strange ideas..."

"Technically, we can blame Sage's mind-buddy for this one." X replies. "But the concept's sound. And of course...we need to come up with a good name for it."

Ayame and Neifirst respond simultaneously. "Delta Demon Roar!" Nei says.

"Dark Destiny Destruction Cannon!" Ayame yells.

"...right. We really need to work on your naming skills..."

The three bicker for a few moments, striking down D-cell monsters as Sigma sends wave after wave of the creatures towards them.

"Genocide Blast!"

"Super Rappy Power Strike!"

As Ayame and Neifirst go back and forth with various names, the fight below becomes more and more intense. Eventually, every member of the Resistance is embroiled in furious combat with the swarming hive of D-Cell creatures. For every one they strike down, five more appear.

Lorna fights her way over to Sage, smiling.

"So...Lutz finally wishes to be free?"

"Yeah. Meeting the Great Light really shook him."

"Well, I may have a way to add to the power of what you're about to do."

"Oh, how?"

"Fanservice..." Lorna replies enigmatically.

"Huh?"

"Just charge up the attack. You'll know what's happening when I do it." She walks away during a brief lull in the fighting. She meets up with Labyrinth, who is commanding a squad of Resistance troopers.

"Labyrinth, can you link me to Pioneer 2's main broadcast system?"

"I can try. What do you require access for?"

"A...small broadcast."

"I can capture the images with my built-in webcam, and Elly can stream them to the network."

"Perfect. I'll tell you when I'm ready."

"In the middle of a fight...?" Labyrinth asks to Lorna's rapidly retreating back. Lorna fights her way over to a group of embattled Resistance soldiers, helping them push the D-Cell monsters back.

"Ok, ok...I've got it." X says, interrupting Ayame and Nei's argument.

"What?"Ayame replies.

" San Majin Shinrengoku Aizan: Chou." X says proudly, to twin glares from Ayame and Nei.

"I can't even pronounce that..." Nei says.

"That attack name is long enough to make me fall asleep. By the time we're finished saying it, Sigma'll be dead of old age..." Ayame replies, making a disgusted face.

"Well, do you have a better idea?" X asks indignantly.

The argument of the three is cut off by Sage's telepathic yell directed towards them.

i "Hey, you three almost ready? We're kinda getting beat down here..." /i 

"We have to come up with a good name, or else it won't be as effective." Ayame says before X can respond. His eyes mist up in pride for a second.

"Wow...thank you Ayame."

i "Regardless...we're dying. Name the attack later." /i Sage says testily. JiEin impales a Del-D that lunges at Sage, joining most of the Resistance in trying to keep enemies back.

"JiEin...think of an attack name. Quickly, please." Sage says to the Hucast.

"Cerberus Roar."

"Thank you."

i "Cerberus Roar. Go with it before I make you all think you're five year old schoolgirls."

"But..."

"Human schoolgirls." /i Sage adds, cutting off Neifirst's reply. She grumbles, but joins X and Ayame in flying towards Sigma.

When they reach Sigma, they begin chanting, each of them charging up a massive Demon Roar. They begin circling around him, the purple haze of energy that follows them forming into a massive ring. Arcane symbols appear all around the ring as Ayame weakens Sigma's defenses with her Dark Curse technique. Neifirst boosts the three of them with a surge of her conduit fire, and X charges a Hyper Demon Roar. The three unique abilities combine, and the Hyper Demon Roar is mirrored by Ayame and Neifirst as they draw into the shared well of power their three conduits have opened. Sigma finally takes notice of them and begins laughing.

b "You think your puny attacks can harm me?" /b He reinforces his barrier and continues to summon more D-Cell creatures.

"Yes, actually. Time for payback." Nei replies sharply, as the massive glowing haloes in front of each of the trio grow in size. A high-pitched whine of energy can be heard even far below as the attack becomes more and more powerful. At last, as the attack reaches critical mass, the three fire as one, blackish beams of energy shooting from the Hyper Demon Roar orbs to strike Sigma head on, giving off a glowing bluish-purple backlash of released energy as they press the assault.

"Cerberus Roar!" The three scream in unison, the combined force of their attack striking Sigma head on, draining from the same reserve of energy he is holding the portal open with. Sigma staggers, feeling power bleed away from his reserves as they pour destructive force at him.

b "You can weaken me...but I am far too strong to be destroyed by my own energy. Soon, this portal to Darkness will envelop this entire world!" /b 

"Yeah...but you can't move either." Ayame says, smiling despite the strain she's under.

Sigma's attempts to prove her wrong fail miserably, the arcane seal of Ayame's Dark Curse locking him in place. He lets out a cry of rage, but is unable to break free.

Far below, Sage finally gives in to Lutz's incessant demands.

i "Fine...if you want to blow yourself up, go ahead. I can't stop you..."

"Thank you, Sage. I need you to charge up a Legeon Beam, like you did against Alis on Rykros."

"That was really difficult to control. Are you sure...?"

"Yes. Do it."

Sage taps into Lutz's power, the familiar rush of technique energy enveloping him in a white haze of coalescing force. He chain-casts four Legeon orbs at once using Lutz's power, then clamps down on the cascading chain-reactions with a telepathic grip, holding them steady as they begin to resonate with each other. The Resistance members fight to keep the area around him clear, pushing the D-Cell monsters back. Sage extends a hand, pointing the gathering energy straight up at the hovering form of Sigma.

Lorna feels the currents of raw power swirling around the battlefield, and signals Labyrinth. He contacts Elly, and every screen on Pioneer 2 springs to life with footage of the battle.

"Well, now or never..." Lorna thinks, banishing her armor. She launches into a

Censored due to excessive fanservice

The view of her form captivates all who see it, and with her unique powers she begins to drain a small amount of soul energy from each of the people from Pioneer 2. Channeling the massive amount of cumulative force, she sends it to Sage, nearly doubling the power of the swirling Legeon beam he is creating.

i "Lutz...we never really saw eye to eye. But I figured I should give you a good send-off."

"...I thank you. Perhaps...ah, nevermind." /i 

Sage shudders from the strain, going to the limits of his endurance. Far above, the demonic trio is beginning to tire as well, the seal around Sigma beginning to slowly deteriorate as both their attack and Sigma's efforts to break free drain the power of the Profound Darkness.

In Sage's mind, he hears Lutz's voice. The world around him reels as his technique reserves are pushed to their limit.

i You're doing marvelously. It's time. You are a worthy successor to my power. I entrust you with my knowledge, my power...my will. My soul shall be set free, and the stored power of the ages shall go to you, its new bearer."

"Are you just going to disappear, or something?"

"Not hardly. I'm being set free. I will no longer be held to this plane."

"Can I still contact you? You've been very helpful, and..."

"Relax. You won't need to after this. Everything I 'am' is passing to you."

"How...?"

"When it happens, you'll know. Good luck. I'm proud of you." /i Lutz breaks the link between them, and converts the last of his consciousness to pure energy.

i "Manafont!" /i 

Sage feels a rush of power overwhelm him as the stored knowledge and magical power of all the Esper leaders before him is assimilated into his being.

i This...is amazing. He must've increased my mental strength and technique reserves by at least a factor of ten. Lutz...thank you. I won't let you down. /i 

Focusing his new-found strength, Sage channels all the ambient energy into his attack, the blue arcane circle formed by the intersection of the four Legeon orbs growing rapidly.

Sigma, sensing what has happened, struggles even harder to break free as the glare from Sage's Legeon beam reaches him.

b i You fool! How could you possibly have allowed this to happen!" /i /b 

i "You're the one with the 'infinite power. Yet we still can't break the girl's barrier."

"That's because...you're not strong enough. I am always held back by my hosts..."

"No lady...I think you're wrong. You're held back by your own weakness. If you were able to break free on your own, you would have done it long ago. I'm actually kind of happy things are ending up this way. I'm tired of being a pawn for divine beings and their petty squabbles."

Sigma stops struggling as the Profound Darkness rants in his mind. Ayame, X and Neifirst fly away from Sigma as Sage's attack rushes forward.

b i " YOU FOOL!" /i /b She screams, as Sage's Legeon Beam lances towards them. The enormous blue beam, strengthened by Lorna's fanservice-assisted soul absorption, engulfs Sigma in a wash of energy. The D-Cell creatures vanish as the portal begins to shrink, drawing Sigma down into it. Sage holds the beam on him until the glare becomes too bright to see. With a massive explosion, the Profound Darkness's portal to the world is destroyed, and a searing light erupts from the portal as it closes. Her body is consumed in the blue flame of pure technique energy, and her armor crumbles to dust. In a bright flash of light, Sigma, the Profound Darkness and the remnants of the portal all disappear.

For the first time in his life, Sage does not pass out after an overextension of his powers. Using his newfound strength, he stops himself halfway to the ground as his knees give way. As the portal and the Profound Darkness's physical body disappear, the sky clears, turning to the tranquil sea of stars that usually blankets Ragol's surface at night.

X, Ayame and Neifirst land, as the Resistance surveys their victory. A small spot of earth has been turned to solid black glass, though other than that no other trace remains.

i Huh...that's weird. /i Ayame thinks, looking towards the glassy spot.

With a crack of released energy, the Great Light appears in front of the Resistance.

b "Well done. I shall now repair all the damage that has been done. With my power restored, and the Darkness vanquished, I shall right all the wrongs perpetrated in my name. To all who have stood against the evil...I thank you." /b 

i Hmm...he's not an idiot anymore. /i Sage thinks, as a wave of white light washes over the planet, even enveloping Pioneer 2.

i No...he's not. The farce earlier was just an act. But I believe you'll find his...'fixing' may not be to your liking. /i 

Sage jumps at the faint sound of Lutz's mental voice.

i "Lutz!"

"Yes...I can see and feel so much more now. However...I have been banned from further contact with you."

"What!"

"The Great Light wills it. I can't really contest his decision. However...my power, my will...my knowledge...they will always be with you. And with them, you have me. I wish you luck, my heir." /i 

With those final words, Lutz's voice fades out.

Sage sees the world around him come to a halt as the Great Light seems to speak only to him.

b "I have fixed the memories of those who were injured in Zionus' attacks. You all are heroes. I thank you." /b 

"Wait...what do you mean, 'fixed their memories'?" Sage asks, as the Great Light disappears.

Two days later, the Principal stands at a podium, with a case of medals.

"In recognition of their service to Pioneer 2 and Ragol, the Resistance against the Profound Darkness are declared special class SS Hunters."

Sage sits in his chair, inwardly seething. Lissandra picks up on his thoughts, and smiles grimly.

i He 'fixed their memories' all right. He wiped all traces of Zionus from the minds of everyone but the...two dozen or so of us that were most involved in resisting him. We remember...but all anyone else remembers is that we stopped the Profound Darkness. I suppose he didn't want anyone to lose faith in the "Great Light is always our protector" theory. /i 

Sage walks to the front with Lissandra as his name is called. They take their medals and certificates and resume their seats, to thunderous applause. X grins and lightly punches Sage on the shoulder as the crowd files out.

"Well...it's been fun. Keep in touch?" X asks.

"Yeah."

i "You're ok with this?" /i Sage asks mentally.

i "Hell no. But...every time we mention Zionus, everyone stares at us blankly. We know what happened, but no one else does. Even Elly's footage has been wiped. The Great Light covered his tracks well... But there's nothing we can do about it."

"Yes, I suppose you're right. Well, see you later?"

"Yeah. If nothing else, we know what happened. See ya around, Sage."

"Goodbye, X." /i 

X and Leah leave, followed by Ayame, Neifirst, Elly, Keiko and JiEin. They go their separate ways, leaving X and Leah to head to their apartment alone. After stopping for a few groceries, they head home.

As they stand outside the front door, Leah turns to X with a sweet smile. "X...Elly made me a new whip."

"Oh boy." X replies, digging his key out while juggling several bags.

"Easy breezy." X opens up the door to his aparment while carrying a few bags in his left arm. He steps aside and allows Leah to enter first in an abnormal display of chivalry, and then walks in after. He unceremoniously dumps the bags on the floor and walks to the center of the room where Leah is standing with a slightly preoccupied look on her face.

"Hmm? What's wrong? We won."

"Um...well, there's something I've been meaning to tell you." X tilts his head in confusion as Leah shifts uncomfortably on her feet. With a sigh, she begins.

"I'm late."

"Oh? To what? Hey, I bet I can fly you there in plenty of time!"

"...No...not that kind of late." Leah reaches into her back pocket and fishes out a white tab. X blinks as guesses as to what it is seep into his mind.

"Please tell me that's really an 'x' and you're just holding it wrong."

"It's a plus sign. X...I'm pregnant."

Leah stands there with a tense look on her face as she waits for X to react. Clearly, she isn't sure how he'll take this. X stands there and blinks for a whole five minutes, easy until he finally responds the only way he knows how; like a jackass.

"Well, that's cool. Who's the father?"

Coming out anyone else's mouth, this would sound like a dodging of responsibility. The telltale smirk on X's face, however, makes it clear that he's just being annoying. Leah giggles, and then laughs until she's outright cackling. All too sudden, she gains the look of an eternally enraged harpy and rushes X. Having a brain, X starts to run around the couch, giggling maniacally.

"You are, you little twit!"

Six months later...

Sage and Lissandra are in Sage's apartment, watching a news report on the "Profound Darkness incident."

i "So, it has been concluded that the Profound Darkness was responsible for the mysterious 'Seraph' creatures that have popped up lately. Efforts to restrain them fall upon the newly reorganized Hunter's Guild, led by Labyrinth. Mr. Labyrinth has declined comment on the matter." /i 

The scene cuts to a commercial for the Imperial Wok.

"Now, newly refurbished, with the world famous android chef JiEin."

"We should probably go there..." Liss says sleepily.

"Yeah, but tomorrow."

The two head to bed, enjoying the peace that had been won at such a hard cost.


End file.
